The Nightmare Virus
by Violet Wings
Summary: Seto is injected with a virus during the group's trip to Noa's virtual world. He and Anzu team up in order to find a cure, which leads them to a forgotten testing facility. More than a cure awaits them, and he discovers what his stepfather left behind.
1. CH 1 : Virtual Torture

_Disclaimer/Author's Note:_

_I do not own anything of Yu-Gi-Oh. This is a story of my own design, created using elements of survival-horror games I play._

_I will warn readers that I tend to blend Japanese and American names. It's just the way I like to type, but if it offends or confuses some of you, let me know._

_Now, on with the story!_

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Chapter 1 : Virtual Torture

She was edgy. They were all edgy. They had little, if any, control over their situation, and Seto Kaiba, the target of this whole business, was now missing from their group. "_God, I hope he is okay. He has to be okay! He's Seto Kaiba…he wouldn't just lose, would he? No, he's stronger than that. He may be stubborn, and he may be a jerk, but he's strong. He can handle himself._"

Anzu shook her head and turned to look at the group. Yugi, Tristan, Serenity, and she were in the bed of a green pick-up truck; Duke and Jounouchi were doing their best to drive down the dirt pathway as quickly as possible. Mokuba was sitting next to her, his knees against his chest and his arms wrapped around his shins. There was the trace of tears in his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. She could only imagine what was running through his mind, knowing his older brother, his only living family, could be anywhere in a dangerous, virtual reality.

Sighing, she leaned against the wall of the bed and turned her head to look beyond the road. They were now in a sort of country setting, with mountains seen in the distance. She wondered briefly how many virtual realities there were in this programming. There could be dozens, if not hundreds, and Seto Kaiba was in one of them. _One _area, when there were how many? She sighed once more in frustration before returning her attention to the group.

"What's the matter, Anzu?" Yugi questioned, noticing her discomfort.

"I'm just worried," she admitted, glancing back down at Mokuba, who had been silent the entire trip. His eyes were glued to the floor of the bed, and he had yet to move since they began their drive. "Who knows where Kaiba could be…?"

"We'll find 'im, don't worry about it!" Jounouchi yelled back to the group, his usual, cheeky smile flashing across his face. "That Noa kid is gonna be sorry he ever messed with us, right Mokuba?"

It was an attempt at getting the boy to look up, and, like every other attempt tried thus far, it failed to even cause him to blink. Everyone watched, wishing to see some glimmer of light in the boy's countenance, but not even a trace of hope could be seen. "_It's as if he has already given up…_"

"We can't give up, Mokuba," Anzu stated, patting his shoulder. "We just have to keep searching. We'll find him, and he'll be okay."

"Who is that older guy that we saw anyways?" Duke questioned, turning for a brief second to look back at them before returning his attention to the road. "He appeared when Noa tried to challenge Kaiba to a duel, and then the two of them vanished. What the hell was that about?"

Anzu frowned at the memory. They had taken a virtual train to what appeared to be a vast lava pool and arrived when Noa was just beginning to challenge Kaiba to a duel. Mokuba was transported to them via a holographic portal, much to Kaiba's surprise, and she remembered the moment Kaiba turned to see his then-unconscious brother in her arms, his eyes wide in horror at the sight. Kaiba had begun arguing over using Mokuba to get to him when suddenly an older man's face appeared in the black, virtual clouds above. The voice was dark, malicious, and his eyes held a rage Anzu had never seen before. Just as the duel was about to start, the man began speaking, stating that Seto and Noa would pay for their failures and setbacks. Holes had appeared underneath Kaiba, Noa, and the group, splitting them up yet again and forcing them back to square one. They now had Mokuba and were together as a group, but they could only imagine where Kaiba, Noa, and the older man were.

"Well, whoever he is, he's gonna pay for what he's done to us!" Jounouchi exclaimed.

"His name is Gozaburo."

The entire group blinked and turned to look at the younger Kaiba. Mokuba's eyes hadn't shifted, yet his gaze turned cold at the name. "Gozaburo Kaiba. Head of KaibaCorp before my brother took over. He is…he _was_ our adoptive father."

"Wait, _he_ was in charge of KaibaCorp before Kaiba?" Yugi questioned, leaning forward slightly to hear better.

Mokuba nodded. "His company worked with and produced machines and weapons used in war. My brother wanted to change the image, so he reinvented the company into a gaming company shortly after taking over. We…we thought Gozaburo had committed suicide shortly after my brother took charge, but I… I guess not."

"Why in the world would he put himself in a virtual reality?" Tristan asked. Anzu couldn't help but smile at Tristan; they had yet to see the Big 5 since being split up at the lava pool, but Tristan was somehow placed back inside his own body. Whatever happened to the robotic monkey suit was anyone's guess.

"Maybe to be back with his son, Noa?" Yugi commented, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Grr, who cares _why _he's here?" Jounouchi shouted. "We gotta find Kaiba and figure out how to get _out_ of here!"

"Joey's right," Serenity remarked. "We have to find Kaiba before those two do something to him!"

The group nodded in unison, and the only sound heard was that of the tires on the rough terrain. Anzu looked down at Mokuba once more to see the boy's blank expression. "_Kaiba can handle himself. He has always been able to fight his way through any situation. I can understand why Mokuba is worried, but…_"

"Yo guys, check it out!" Duke exclaimed as he suddenly pointed forward. "Is that a village?"

Anzu, along with Yugi and Tristan, stood from the bed of the truck and looked over the top. Sure enough, virtual cottages could be seen in the distance. She could see a wooden fence outlining the area as well as several trees, and as they got closer, she noticed what appeared to be a well in the center of the square.

"What is it?" Jounouchi questioned.

"A village, duh," Tristan retorted.

"That's not what I meant, you idiot! I mean, what's it doing out in the middle of nowhere here?"

"Beats me."

"Maybe it has a clue as to where Kaiba is!" Anzu remarked, hoping it would help raise the group's morale. Everyone save Mokuba smiled and nodded their heads.

They drove up the rest of the dirt pathway and through the open, wooden fence before stopping near the center of the cottages. Jumping out of the front seats, Jounouchi and Duke walked around the length of the truck and opened the bed, moving to side to allow the group to jump down. Anzu carefully jumped down before turning to help Mokuba, who was now standing but still looking at the floor of the bed. Sighing, she turned to the group and said, "You guys look around. I'll stay here with him."

The group, sensing Mokuba's anxiety, nodded in agreement and began to split themselves up. There were only four or five cottages, creating a sort of circle around the well, as well as an empty, wooden stable. Waiting until they had left to investigate, she climbed back onto the bed of the truck and stood in front of Mokuba. Kneeling down so her eyes were level with his, she asked, "What's the matter, Mokuba?"

"It… It's Seto," he whispered, his voice angrier than she anticipated. "I don't know where he is, and…and he has been risking himself this whole time for me! I don't even know where to find him, Anzu, and I'm scared for him! What if Noa or Gozaburo do something to him? What if he is fighting, looking for me like he always does! I always bring him down! I'm always in his way! Why is it that I—"

"Hey, hey, don't think like that," Anzu stated, brushing several strands of thick, black hair behind his ear. She could see that the tears were now streaming down his face, and he rushed forward and wrapped his arms around her in a tight grip. She returned the hug, whispering in a soft voice, "Your brother is strong and cares for you, Mokuba. He doesn't want anything to happen to you, not because you're a burden, but because he loves you. You're his brother, Mokuba. He loves you. Now how do you think he would feel if he heard you saying things like that about yourself?" Feeling his body beginning to calm down, she smiled and said, "We're going to find your brother, and we're going to get out of here. He will be okay; he's strong enough to get through this."

Mokuba took a step back and frowned at her. "But…but Gozaburo is—"

"Hey, I don't know who this Gozaburo creep is, but your brother is Seto Kaiba! He can handle himself."

Mokuba sighed and began wiping the tears away. "I just… I feel so guilty. I mean, I let Noa take me away, and Seto has been forced to duel these creeps because I couldn't stick close to him like he told me to. I just…"

"Guys, guys, guys!" Jounouchi cried out, suddenly running up to the side of the truck. "We found him!"

"'Found him'?" Anzu repeated. "You mean—"

"Yeah, Kaiba! We found him!"

Anzu and Mokuba quickly ran forward, jumping over the side of the truck and following closely behind Jounouchi. Her heart began racing a mile a minute. "_If they found him, where is he? Is he okay? Why is he here?_" A million questions began flooding her mind. They stormed into one of the cottages, rushing through the living room and into a side, back room. The floors were mere, wooden planks, and the wallpaper was a dull brown. The only furniture was a cabinet and a dining room table, both of which appeared dusty and in slight disrepair. Stopping at the entrance to the room, she gasped and placed a hand over her mouth to hide her surprise.

Seto Kaiba was lying on an old bed. His eyes were closed, and given his lack of reaction to Yugi and Tristan's orders to wake up, it was easy to tell he was unconscious. His trenchcoat was missing, and his metal armbands which covered his forearms were gone. Instead, the black sleeves of his long-sleeve shirt were rolled up, revealing both cuts and puncture wounds on his hands and arms. Jounouchi pushed his way forward and tapped his cheek, shouting, "Moneybags, time to get your lazy ass up!" His only response was a slight shift as Kaiba's head rolled to the side. It reminded Anzu of a lifeless doll.

Mokuba had since run up to the side of the bed and grabbed his older brother's hand, taking it in his own as the pent-up tears were released a second time. "Seto, Seto!" he shouted, leaning over his brother and wrapping his arms around his neck. "Oh my God, Seto! Seto, come on! You have to wake up! Seto!"

"This really doesn't look good," Duke whispered to the rest of them. Anzu had to nod in agreement; she had never seen Kaiba in such bad shape. She noticed that his eyes appeared to be sunken in slightly, and that the marks on his arms were beginning to bruise. Whatever he had been through, it did not look painless.

"_All of these marks are recent,_" she thought to herself. "_That man, Gozaburo, must have done something when he took the two away. But…if Seto is here…_"

"Where is Noa?" she asked, searching the room once more for any signs of life.

"Who cares?" Jounouchi shouted as he marched up next to Mokuba. "Let's get Kaiba out of here and into the truck. We can take him someplace safer and wait until he wakes up."

"I don't really think there_ is_ a safe place here," Duke remarked, but nevertheless he exited the room, keys to the truck in hand. Jounouchi waited for Mokuba to release his brother before grabbing his right arm and pulling it over his shoulders. He then lifted Kaiba off the bed with his left arm, grunting at the brunette's weight as he did so, and began pulling him along.

"It might help if you put him on your back, Jounouchi," Tristan remarked as he approached the CEO's free side. Jounouchi nodded in agreement, and the two worked to put Kaiba's arms around Joey's neck, lifting him up so that Jounouchi held his legs in place around his waist. Mokuba, Anzu, and the rest of the gang merely watched in horror as Kaiba's face fell onto Joey's left shoulder, his eyes still refusing to open.

"Alright, rich boy, it's time to wake up!" Joey shouted. Her stomach flipped when no reaction came.

"_Maybe Mokuba had a reason to be worried…what in the world did they do to him?_" She waited for Jounouchi to exit first, followed closely by Mokuba, before exiting the room. Taking a look around the cottage, she saw no sign of life. "_No papers, no food, no nothing. Just an empty cottage. Why would Gozaburo take Kaiba here?_"

Exiting the house, she jogged to catch up to the group and watched as Jounouchi began placing Kaiba's limp figure into the bed of the truck. She had never seen Kaiba in such a state, and the sight was starting to make her sick. She turned her attention to the rest of the group, who were sharing equally disturbed expressions, save Mokuba who merely stared in shock at his brother. A few tears fell down his cheeks, but on the whole he was surprisingly calm. "_He may be cold, but he is always in control, never one to fall down. What could have happened to cause this?_" She took a step forward and grabbed onto the edge of the bed, deciding to help in the matter. Pulling herself up, she went to grab Mokuba when a flash of color caught her attention. She glanced over and felt her eyes widen at the sight.

"Noa!" she shouted, pointing at the cottage west of the group. The group turned in unison to look in the indicated direction, and Anzu heard Jounouchi growl at the sight of the boy. It was Mokuba, however, who approached the boy. He ran at full speed towards him, shaking and grabbing his collar once he was within reaching distance.

"You son of a bitch!" Mokuba shouted to the surprise of everyone. "How dare you do this to my brother! What did he _ever_ do to any of you? Tell me, damn you!"

"Mokuba, please," Serenity whispered, obviously upset by the boy's shouts.

"Why? What did he do to you? What did he do to hurt you?"

"Mokuba!" Jounouchi shouted, trying to get the boy's attention. Mokuba turned, eyes ablaze, tears streaming down his face. His lips were contorted into a growl, causing Anzu to take a step back in surprise.

"What? I have every right to yell at…at him! He took Seto away from me, he hurt him, he…he…."

Returning to look at the boy, Mokuba panted heavily and went to shake him once more when he suddenly stopped panting. Anzu, noticing the shift in stature, leaned forward and was surprised to see Noa's eyes were closed. He appeared limp in Mokuba's arms, although he was still standing on his feet.

"N…Noa…?"

Letting go, Mokuba took a step back as he fell forward onto the wooden plank balcony. He landed with a hard thud, and the group shivered at the hollow noise. "What…what is going on here?" Duke questioned, his gaze going back and forth between Noa's limp figure and Seto's equally lifeless form.

"We should probably get out of here," Serenity remarked, her voice shaking with fear.

A sudden noise penetrated the eerie silence, and the group watched in horror as Noa's body began to shudder.

"N…Noa?" Mokuba repeated, leaning forward slightly to get a better look.

"Mokuba, get back!" Yugi shouted. Mokuba did so just as Anzu noticed what appeared to be a large air bubble travel up his arm, disappearing into his shoulder. His body began convulsing, and more and more bumps began appearing and disappearing.

"What the…?" Anzu had never seen anything like it. It looked as though his body was morphing, as if his insides were threatening to burst.

"We need to get out of here!" Duke shouted. "Everyone, back in the truck!"

Serenity, Tristan, and Yugi immediately jumped into the back as Jounouchi and Duke rushed to the front seats of the truck. Anzu could only stare in horror as Noa's convulsions became worse, and she briefly saw his eyes open, revealing a dark red shade. It was only then that she realized Mokuba had yet to move.

"Mokuba, hurry! We need to leave!"

But Mokuba wouldn't budge. He simply stood there, as though he was paralyzed, until Noa's body suddenly exploded. Virtual blood and gore splattered everywhere, and Anzu cried out in horror as she saw blood hit Mokuba, who jumped back in surprise before gaping at the remains. Pieces of his body fell to the ground, where they disappeared as computer coding, fading into nothingness. Leftover blood splattered along the walls began sliding down, creating a macabre image. Mokuba, who was just as stunned as the rest of the group, slowly raised his hand to wipe the blood from his face before turning to look at them.

"That's going to happen to Seto, isn't it?" he asked slowly, his eyes only growing in size.

"Mokuba, it's—"

"I can't believe the virus rejected him! My only son!"

The group gasped in surprise, and Mokuba quickly turned and began backing his way up towards the truck. A bulky, tall man stepped through the entrance to the cottage, crunching the leftover blood and bits of gore beneath his business shoes. He was wearing a red business suit and black tie, and he was carrying a leather, black briefcase in his right hand. Anzu recognized the face to be the one revealed in the clouds before they lost Kaiba. It was Gozaburo.

Taking notice of the group, the man smirked spitefully before chuckling. "Ah ha, so this is the group my good-for-nothing adoptive son has acquired. And here I thought I taught him that he needed no one but himself in life. Ah well, I knew he would eventually succumb to failure. It was only a matter of time…"

"You're that Gozaburo creep!" Jounouchi shouted through the truck window.

"The name is Gozaburo Kaiba, President and CEO of KaibaCorp before that brat took over!"

"What is it that you want with us?" Anzu questioned. She watched as Mokuba began approaching the truck, and she leaned forward, knowing he would need help climbing into the bed.

"I wanted to bring Seto here so I could teach him a lesson on taking over what isn't his!" Gozaburo stated. "My company was set to go in a new direction when that brat took over and backstabbed ME, the one who got him out of that miserable orphanage in the first place!"

"You wouldn't have even thought of adopting us if Seto hadn't beaten you at that game!" Mokuba shouted back, his hands balled up into angry fists. Anzu frowned; what game was he talking about?

"Yes, but even then I did not have to educate him. I gave him a great education, teaching him everything he needed to know in order to survive in the business world. And look what he did with that knowledge! He turned and used it against me, ME, and thought that he could simply be done with me after taking over. I simply used Noa to lure him here, in order to teach him a proper lesson! And then Noa turns on me and begins using that Duel Monsters crap in order to get revenge on his adopted brother! I did not think the virus would reject him… It really is a shame."

"What the hell kind of virus are you talking about?" Tristan questioned, leaning forward and grabbing onto the edge of the bed of the truck.

Gozaburo closed his eyes and chuckled once more. "You don't have to worry. Those wounds will not be seen in the real world. However, the effects of the drugs…"

"Drugs?" Yugi shouted. "You _drugged_ your adopted son?" Anzu shivered before peeking over at Mokuba, whose tears were now falling yet again. She couldn't blame him, though.

"_That must be what those puncture wounds are. Then…what about the cuts? A-And the bruises?_"

"It is a new drug, one whose effects you will see when you return to the real world," Gozaburo replied. "It will be interesting to see just how long he lasts, given that it is untested in this sort of scenario."

"What drug is it?" Duke asked.

"One you would never understand. You see, KaibaCorp was preparing to turn to biological weapons when Seto got the nerve to take over. I was in the process of switching from mechanical weapons, which were becoming extremely difficult to produce and far too expensive to bring in a decent profit, to biological, but—"

"What the hell do you mean, 'biological'?" Jounouchi interrupted, his head hanging out of the window.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you manners?" Gozaburo countered. "Hmph. I can't believe my adopted son has taken _you_ all in as friends. Ha, friends! Did none of my lessons sink in!"

"You ruined Seto, you bastard!" Mokuba shouted, his upper body leaning forward in rage. "Because of you, he…he…he doesn't trust anyone anymore! He doesn't talk to anyone, doesn't_ like_ anyone! You ruined his life, you_ bastard_!"

"'Ruined his life'? You little punk! He ruined _my_ life! He is the reason I disappeared off the face of the planet, damning myself to a virtual reality so I could work on my ingenious designs in secret! He is the reason my plans for the company I built from the ground up could never come to fruition! You are telling me I ruined _his_ life? You have no respect or knowledge of what I went through for the company or because of your idiotic brother. But now…now he knows what I have been doing, and he will understand the pain I have gone through because of him."

"W-What does that mean?" asked Jounouchi.

"You'll just have to find out, won't you?"

Just as he said this, Anzu noticed a large, black hole appear beneath them, widening until the entire truck hovered above. Her stomach flipped as she felt the truck begin falling into the pit, and she began to scream as the wind pushed her hair back and threatened to swallow her. She fell forward, trying to grab onto the bed of the truck, but soon her grip released, and she felt herself freefalling into the darkness. She turned and tried to make out her friends, Mokuba, anyone, but the group soon began to vanish until she could see nothing but darkness.

* * *

"Anzu! Anzu!"

Quickly opening her eyes, Anzu gasped as she saw Yugi and Jounouchi hovering above her. She groaned as feeling began spreading through her arms and legs, and as she went to sit up, she realized she was stuck in a glass container. Raising her hand, she pressed it against the cold glass and was surprised when the glass began rising at her touch. She waited until it stopped, standing vertically, before sitting up and stretching her arms. Yugi was standing to her left, Jounouchi to her right, and she jumped in surprise as Mokuba dashed in front of her.

"Where are we?" she questioned, looking around the large room. They were in an open, metallic room, with cement flooring and steel walls. A large computer screen was directly in front of her, an empty, black leather, computer chair sitting in front of the expansive keyboard.

"We must be back in the real world," Tristan stated, causing her to jump once more. She turned to her left to see Tristan, Serenity, and Duke smiling at her. She couldn't help but smile back at them. At least they were safe.

"How did we get here? And where are we?"

"Maybe we are in that large building we landed in when we first arrived here," Duke remarked. "We should find an elevator and go up to the top floor. If we're really in the real world, we can find the blimp and get the hell out of here."

"Yeah, but what about—"

"Seto!"

The group turned in unison and was surprised to see Mokuba standing next to an opening pod. The glass top revealed the limp figure of Seto Kaiba, completely dressed in trenchcoat and all. Mokuba rushed to pull his brother forward, who merely leaned against his younger brother as though he was sleeping.

"Was Kaiba released from the virtual world?" Yugi questioned as the group rushed to the side of the pod. His eyes were still closed, but Anzu could tell by the rising and falling of his chest that his breathing was normal.

"I don't know," Mokuba answered. "Let me check…"

The boy slowly backed away, shivering as his brother fell against the edge of the pod, before rushing over to the computer. Anzu slowly approached the body and pulled him close, listening to his rhythmic breathing. "_God, I hope he is okay._"

"We'll get a doc for him when we get back on the blimp," Jounouchi stated. "He should be checked out. That Gozaburo creep said his wounds wouldn't appear in the real world, but who knows?"

"Joey's got a point, for once," Tristan stated.

"Hey, what does that mean?" Joey argued, raising his fist towards his friend.

"Calm down, you two!" Serenity shouted. "This isn't the time to be arguing!"

"Serenity's right," Duke remarked. "We gotta stay focus. You two can argue once we know Kaiba is okay."

"What number is above his pod?" Mokuba called over, the sound of his typing coming to a halt. Anzu glanced up to see the number 6 on a coil leading up to the ceiling.

"Six," she said.

"It says the pod is empty, as are all the other ones," Mokuba replied. "That means his mind must have been returned. But then…then why isn't he waking up?"

"Hey, as long as he's out of there, we can take care of him!" Jounouchi exclaimed. "Let's get out of here before we—"

A sudden red, flashing light caused the group to jump in surprise, and a loud alarm began to sound. "Warning, warning!" a female voice instructed over the intercom. "Ten minutes until detonation. Repeat, ten minutes until detonation. Please evacuate immediately. Warning, warning…"

"DETONATION! "Jounouchi shouted, flailing his arms about in horror. "We gotta get the hell outta here!"

"Put him on your back again, Joey!" Duke shouted. Joey nodded and quickly went down on his knees, turning his back to the direction of the pod. Anzu and Tristan swiftly placed Kaiba on Joey's back as Mokuba bolted out of his chair towards the group.

"B-But what if Seto is—"

"We don't have time to check, Mokuba!" Duke stated. "If the computer says he's returned to the real world, then we have to go with what the computer says!"

"But…but…!"

"Nine minutes remaining," the female voice informed. "Please evacuate immediately."

"Let's go!" Yugi shouted. Jounouchi grabbed onto Kaiba's legs and stood, taking a second to steady himself before nodding to the rest. Nodding in return, they began exiting the room through an electronic doorway at the right end of the room. Running down a narrow, cement hallway, they reached the corner and turned to find an elevator. Duke swiftly pressed the button and waited for the electronic doors to open, revealing a large, empty compartment.

"How in the world did we get transported down here in the first place?" Serenity questioned as they entered the elevator, doing their best to make as much room as possible. Once Mokuba, the last person, entered, he pressed the top button and shivered as the doors closed.

"Who knows or cares right now?" he asked. "We gotta get out of here and make sure Seto is okay!"

Waiting impatiently, Anzu tapped her fingers together as the female voice stated that eight minutes were left before detonation. She glanced over to see Kaiba's closed his eyes, his arms hanging lifelessly around Jounouchi's neck. Mokuba was staring up at his brother's face, as if waiting for his eyes to open and reveal a sign of life, and the rest of the group was either staring at Kaiba or impatiently at the elevator screen indicating which floor they were on. At last, after what seemed like an eternity, the elevator came to a halt, and the double doors opened to reveal another narrow hallway.

"Let's go, people!" Jounouchi shouted as they began rushing forward. Like an angry mob, they stormed down the hallway, and coming to the exit they found themselves in an enormous, open room. The blimp stood directly in front of them, the ladder drawn down and two of Kaiba's bodyguards standing at the entrance. Their footsteps echoed against the metallic walls, and suddenly hearing an obnoxious, beeping noise, Anzu glanced up to see the ceiling opening, revealing the light blue sky. The group ran across and began entering the blimp, shouting orders at the guards to start the blimp up as they did so. Anzu was the last to climb the stairs, and she waited as the two guards began running towards the blimp elevator, the ladder electronically drawing itself back. Hearing it click shut, she released a heavy sigh before turning to look at the rest of the group. They were in the blimp; step one in getting out alive was finished. She went to approach Jounouchi, who was showing signs of fatigue from holding the lifeless CEO, when the blimp began coming to life, shaking violently and causing them all to fall to the ground.

"Dammit, can't they fly this thing right?" Joey shouted as the blimp began ascending. Anzu and Serenity both crawled over to the window, and her stomach turned as she saw the cement floor begin to disappear.

"Hey, at least we're getting out of here!" Tristan shouted, and Anzu had to nod in agreement.

Soon the ceiling to the underwater facility could be seen, as could the surrounding ocean, and just as she was about to turn and look away, she saw the first signs of smoke, indicating that the building was indeed beginning to go under. She pushed herself away from the window, not wanting to see the explosion, and instead turned her attention to Kaiba, who was now lying on the floor of the blimp. Mokuba carefully crawled up next to his brother and started shaking his shoulder, hoping it would awaken him.

"_At least we are all okay,_" she thought, smiling as the rest of the group seemed to relax. The blimp began to steady, and the sounds of the explosion could be heard in the distance. "_We made it. That's all that matters._"

* * *

So, what did you guys think? Be sure to leave me a comment; it is greatly appreciated!


	2. CH 2 : Awaken

_Author's Note: Thanks so much for the comments thus far! You guys don't know how much I appreciate feedback, good and bad! _

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Chapter 2 : Awaken

_The light was bright. Far too bright for him to see anything. He groaned as he tried moving, yet he found he was tied down to a rough surface. His arms and legs felt useless, yet he could sense that there was something holding him down. Rope, perhaps, or maybe thick wire. Whatever it was, he felt too exhausted to even open his eyes and see where he was. All energy seemed to be gone; he could hardly gain the strength to move his head to the side in the hopes of ascertaining his location. _

_What….what happened…._

"_Sir, I think the subject is awake."_

_A voice. Whose voice?_

"_Good. Administer the drug now."_

_Drug…? What…_

"_But Sir, we have yet to—"_

"_Don't question me. Think of him as our first test subject."_

_Test subject? What…what was…_

_Feeling something sharp enter his arm, he hissed in pain before attempting to open his eyes. He only saw a brief glimpse of a man dressed in white before his vision began to blur, the colors mixing until they turned gray, then black. Nothingness…an empty void… Voices mixing together until they became unrecognizable. He felt himself falling. His pulse quickened only to drop. Something was wrong. Something was…_

_And then another bright light rapidly pierced through the darkness, though this one was different than the first._

_Opening his eyes, he blinked in surprise upon recognizing the room. It was his old study room at the Kaiba mansion, where he used to work on the projects assigned to him by his bastard of a stepfather. Looking around, he was even more surprised to find his old toys and books sitting on the glass coffee table. "Am I still in the virtual reality?" he thought aloud, looking down at his hands only to see that they were smaller than usual. "This…What the hell? What is going on?"_

_The door to the room was abruptly slammed open, causing him to jump back in surprise. Squinting his eyes in suspicion, he leaned forward only to gasp in horror at the sight of his stepfather, who looked surprisingly taller than usual. The bastard began approaching him, and he, in return, began to back away, soon falling against the soft couch. He somehow knew fighting him would be a losing cause, as if the power he had acquired all those years ago when the man threw himself out the window had somehow dissipated into nothingness. He felt as he did when he was a child, and his stomach became a tight knot at the thought. _

"_There is nowhere to run, you useless brat!" he shouted as he pushed the coffee table aside, the toys and books flying in every direction. "How many times have I told you to do your work, and all you seem to care about are those pathetic cards and worthless, romance novels! Don't you understand the importance of a work ethic, boy?"_

"_But…But I…" What was going on? Was he…was he still a child?_

"_Enough!" Seeing his stepfather lunge forward, he went to move but was caught off-guard by a swipe from the right, forcing him back onto the couch. He gasped as he felt his stepfather's strong hand grab a hold of his neck and cried out as he felt himself being lifted into the air. _

"_Stop! Stop! I promise… I… I promise to do the work!"_

"_You had better, you ignorant child!" Feeling the grip tighten, he went to scream when his stepfather suddenly hurled him across the room. His stomach did a flip as he felt the air push past him, and he cried in pain as his back came in contact with the wooden bookshelf. He shuddered as he hit the floor, several books falling out of place and landing on his back in the process, before looking up to watch the bastard begin leaving the room. As he opened the door, he turned and said, "You better have that blueprint done by tomorrow morning, else it is your brother who will be getting the next punishment."_

_NO! Not… Not…_

_The colors began to blur once more, and his head fell against the soft carpet._

_Not…_

_Closing his eyes, he felt his heart rate begin to drop, and his energy at trying to get up was spent._

_Not…_

"_Mokuba," he whimpered before entering total darkness._

_

* * *

_

Gasping for air, Kaiba opened his eyes and felt a fire in his throat like never before. He began coughing violently and went to straighten himself out, doing his best to sit up, when he felt the soft fabric of sheets beneath him. He could hear the movement of what sounded like a machine, but the fire in his throat was his first priority. Closing his eyes, he waited for his coughing to subside, which took several minutes without the help of a glass of water, before opening them once more. Taking in several large breaths in the hope of regulating his breathing, he slowly sat up straight before taking a closer look at his surroundings.

"_What…Where…. Where am I?_"

Examining the area, he realized to his great surprise that he was in his personal room on the blimp. The windows revealed passing clouds, indicating that the blimp was moving. A bit of sun was shining through, but from the looks of it, it appeared to be turning to night. There were empty glasses on the table at the opposite end of the room, and upon examining his own space, he realized that a machine had been arranged with several wires connected to his body. It was a medical machine, similar to the ones they hooked up to both Mai Valentine and that Bakura freak after their duels.

"_What the hell is all of this? How did I get here? Is this another one of Gozaburo's traps?_"

Going to pull the wires from his skin, he suddenly felt a wave of nausea and closed his mouth, attempting to hold it in. He leaned forward, bending his body in half so that his head was now lying on the sheets, and groaned in pain as the urge to vomit went as quickly as it came. But just as it left, his body went cold, and he began shivering almost uncontrollably.

"_What is going on? Why… Why do I feel this way?_"

Closing his eyes once more, he continued groaning in pain and went to try to sit up when a sudden voice pierced through his thoughts.

_Syringes are sanitized, sir._

"Kaiba!"

_Virus has been injected into syringes. Awaiting orders, sir._

"Oh my goodness, thank God you're awake!"

_Do it. Now._

"Kaiba…?"

Feeling the sensation of a needle piercing his skin, he bolted upright only to see a pair of round, blue eyes staring back at him. He felt sweat beginning to break underneath his bangs and went to wipe them away when he realized who it was that was sitting in front of him.

"Mazaki?"

She smiled lightly and nodded her head before standing from the edge of the bed and walking over to the nearby bathroom. He could hear the sound of water being turned on and sighed in relief. "_What was that? A vision? A dream? Am I still in Gozaburo's world? Is this all a trick?_"

Within a few seconds, he heard her reenter the room and glanced up to see her smiling widely down at him. She was wearing a different outfit than before: a pair of brown shorts and a light green t-shirt. He didn't think the outfit really matched, but he immediately scolded himself over thinking of such insignificant matters.

"Here, this may help you calm down," she said in a soft voice, and Seto blinked in surprise as he felt a cold washcloth be placed in his hand. "You look like you have a slight fever, though the monitors say you're healthy. How are you feeling?"

He placed the washcloth against his forehead, sighing heavily in relief at the sudden coolness despite his earlier cold shivers. He took a minute to regulate his breathing once more, listening to the slight beeping of the monitor in the background, before turning to look at her. She was smiling, waiting patiently for him to say something. "Where… Where are we?" he managed to ask in a broken voice, a voice he was shocked was his own.

"We're on the blimp in the real world," Anzu answered. "We managed to escape Noa's virtual reality, but you were unconscious when we rescued you. We weren't even a hundred percent sure you had returned to the real world with the rest of us, but…" Smiling widely, she said, "At least we can put that worry to rest."

Groaning in pain yet again, his eyes widened as he examined the room. "Where is Mokuba?" he demanded, his voice gaining some of its authority back but still weak by comparison.

"He is in the cafeteria with the others," she said, quickly standing up as she did so. "He'll be so excited to see you! I'll go get him right away!"

And before he could say another word, she ran out of the room, leaving him alone with the beeping monitor. Sighing in frustration, he went to lie back down but thought better of it, knowing that if he did so, it would be painful to get back up in order to see his brother. So, placing his head in both of his hands, he closed his eyes and tried to remember what exactly happened in the virtual reality.

"_I… I had traveled to the lava pool, where Noa was waiting for me. That stupid brat, taking my brother from me! No… No, Mokuba had been returned, but to Yugi and the group, not me. I… We were about to duel when… when __**his**__ face appeared in the sky. How… How was it that he was there? He mocked us both, Noa and I, saying we were failures. Typical of him, never one to accept defeat. But then one of those black holes appeared beneath me, and I remember falling… Did I hit something hard on the way down?… I can't remember…"_

"_Voices… There were voices around me when I woke up… Where did I wake up? Why can't I remember any of this? Was I knocked unconscious the rest of the time, or did Gozaburo do something to my memories to mess with me?_" The thought sent a shiver down his spine; he wouldn't put it past the greedy son of a bitch.

"_Where was Mokuba when all of this occurred? How did they get me out of the facility? I… I need answers… I need…_"

Hearing sudden movement, Seto blinked and quickly looked over at the opposite end of the room. He could hear _something_ scurrying about, something that sounded similar to a mouse or a rat. But there were no such creatures on a floating blimp, and instead of the noise getting softer, it became louder. Scurrying, like little feet running along the metallic walls. "What the…?"

_Syringes are sanitized, sir._

Gasping in shock at the sudden voice, he began swiftly turning his head, making sure to look in every direction of the room, when the sound of the door opening caught him off-guard. He jumped in surprise yet sighed in relief when he saw the form of his younger brother standing at the entrance. The sound immediately stopped.

"Seto!" he screamed as he rushed forward, and Seto couldn't help but smile at seeing the boy standing before him. Taking him in his arms, he held onto him tightly, smiling wider as he began running his right hand through the boy's thick, black hair. "Seto, you're okay! You're really, really okay!"

"Yeah… I'm fine, Mokuba." Holding him out at arm's length, he regained his serious composure and briefly scrutinized the boy. "Are you…all right?"

"Yeah, of course, Seto!" Mokuba exclaimed.

Releasing a breath he didn't know he had been holding, he smiled once more and brought his brother back into his arms. "I'm…I'm happy to see you are okay."

"Likewise! We were so worried, Seto! You scared us! You… You're feeling okay, right?"

Chuckling at his brother's worry, he nodded his head, tightening his grip slightly around his younger brother. "Yes, Mokuba, I feel much better."

"_Now that I know you're safe…_"

He held onto his brother for nearly a full minute before releasing him. He watched as he climbed up onto the bed, sitting close to the edge and smiling at him. Anzu had since grabbed a nearby chair and pulled it closer in order to include herself in the reunion. While it slightly annoyed Seto, he didn't have the heart to tell her to leave. "_After all, they got Mokuba out of Gozaburo's trap safely. The least I can do is be the slightest bit polite._"

"Why is all of this medical equipment hooked up to me?" he decided to ask first. The beeping noise was starting to get on his nerves.

"Well, when we found you…"

Frowning at his brother's abrupt end, he saw a sudden trace of fear in the boy's eyes and watched as his eyes traveled to the floor. He turned to look at Anzu.

"Mazaki, what happened?"

"Um, well… When we found you, Seto, there were some…wounds on your arms that we weren't entirely sure about," she answered, her eyes equally avoiding him. "We were afraid that they had transferred over to the real world, and even though they hadn't, you still were not waking up. We were just worried that something might have transferred, so we gave you some medicine and let you rest once we escaped from the facility."

"What kind of injuries?"

"Puncture wounds and some cuts. There were also some bruises. Mostly on your arms."

Glancing back over at his brother, he could see the worry in the boy's eyes. He smiled lightly and shook his head, knowing what his brother was thinking. "I am fine, Mokuba. You don't have to worry. Wounds in the virtual world do not merely transmit over to the real world. Gozaburo would have to do more than that to affect me."

"But Seto…do you remember where those wounds came from?"

It was the question he had secretly been dreading. Hanging his head, he peeked out the window to see the sun setting, the sky becoming darker.

_Syringes are sanitized, sir_.

"… No," he finally answered. "No, I don't remember."

Both Anzu and Mokuba nodded their heads in understanding. "Well, the important thing is that you are feeling okay," Anzu stated. "And who knows? Maybe it will come back to you in time?"

"Yeah, maybe…" Looking over to see her, he asked, "What happened after I fell down that hole? What did you guys do?"

"We found ourselves close to the pick-up truck," Anzu replied. "We decided to try and find you, and we started driving down a dirt roadway. After awhile, we came to an isolated village and began searching for you. Jounouchi found you in one of the cottages."

"Cottages?"

_Think of him as our first test subject._

"Yeah. You were unconscious, and we started taking you away when…when we found Noa."

"Noa?"

Anzu nodded, though Seto could pick up the dread in her eyes, causing him to frown in concern. "He… Mokuba approached him and demanded to know why he did what he did, when Noa became unconscious. He fell forward, and… well, he, um…"

"He what?"

"He…exploded."

"What?" He could feel his eyes widen in disbelief.

"He started, well, started morphing, and then he just exploded. And that was when Gozaburo appeared."

"Gozaburo was there?" he asked, his voice rising in volume. Even the mention of his name stirred him with rage. He couldn't believe that man had the nerve to show his face after all these years!

"Yeah. And he said… well, he mentioned something about testing biological weapons—"

"Are you sure you're feeling okay, Seto?" Mokuba interrupted, leaning forward to grab onto his older brother's hand. "I mean, are you _absolutely positively_ sure?"

"O-Of course, Mokuba," he answered. "I admit I'm a little woozy, but on the whole I feel okay."

Slowly nodding his head to accept the answer, he let go of his hand and pushed himself off the bed. "Well, you should probably get some rest, Seto," he said turning to face him. "We'll let you sleep in. Remember, you have a duel to win tomorrow!"

Smirking, he nodded in agreement. "_That's right. The semi-finals and finals are coming up. I have to prepare my deck, work on strategies… Shit, I forgot all about it when we were dragged into Noa's world._"

He smiled as he watched his brother approach the exit door, Anzu following close behind, when she surprisingly turned around and waved to him. "Let us know if there is anything we can do for you," she said. "The guys were hoping for your swift recovery as well."

Seto scoffed at the notion, causing her to frown. "_I'm supposed to believe that they honestly care about me? It makes things easier for them if I get knocked out of the finals due to my stepfather's interference. What do they care if I am well or not?_" He watched as the two left the room, the metal door sliding closed behind him, before sighing and lying back down on the soft bed.

"_I really should focus on my duels tomorrow, but I hardly have the strength to get out of bed. I should have asked Mokuba to get my deck for me, but knowing him, he would have scolded me for not resting. He's always looking out for me…and I let him down. Yugi and the gang were the ones who rescued him, not me._" Growling in frustration, he placed a hand over his forehead and closed his eyes. "_I suppose I should thank them for doing such a thing, but I can't think about it tomorrow. I need to focus on victory, on beating them. Only then can I prove to myself that I am truly better than Gozaburo. I will show him… I will show them all…_"

It was with these thoughts in mind that Seto fell into an uneasy sleep.


	3. CH 3 : Concern

_Author's Note: Again, thanks guys for all the comments thus far! _

_

* * *

_

Chapter 3 : Concern

He was shaking, literally shaking with rage. He had to grab a hold of the cold, metal railing just to keep himself steady, and even then he could not contain his fury.

"_I can't believe this has happened! After all the work I did in assembling this tournament, all the hours I spent on my deck and strategies, all ending in failure! None of it came to amount to anything! I failed… I failed in winning my own tournament…_"

Leaning forward, Seto released a heavy sigh and shook his head. "_There is no one to blame but myself. I let the events that transpired in Noa's world affect my game, and in the end, it cost me my own tournament. I couldn't let the past just be for a bit…. I had to keep thinking of what happened…_"

Admitting his own defeat was one thing, but admitting he had defeated himself was something altogether new and troubling for the young CEO. He always strove to be the very best in everything, and realizing that he had led to his own downfall made him feel ready to vomit. "_I knew what cards to play; I had the order memorized! Did I make a mistake, perhaps? Maybe I played a wrong card or didn't play a card when I was supposed to? No… No, I thought of everything in my head before playing each one of my cards. But Yugi… He beat me. Again! And in my own tournament!_"

He growled in frustration and slammed his hands on the railing, ignoring the slight tinge of pain that traveled up his arms. A gust of wind blew past him, sending his trenchcoat and hair swaying to the side, and he involuntarily shuddered at the coldness. He was on the platform stationed on the blimp, deciding it was best to avoid the others and their celebrations of success. He instead chose to ponder on his defeat in silence. The cold air from the sea was beginning to pick up as night began to fall, yet he hardly felt the need to be concerned. There were more important matters to think about, like his tournament. Or the island.

Seto had promised himself that, when he had won, he would destroy KaibaCorp Island, demolishing any trace of his adoptive father into the sea. He would win, claim his title as Duelist King, and take the elevator into the basement, slamming the self-destruct button with absolutely no mercy. He pictured it a thousand times in his head before and even during the tournament, awaiting the sheer relief that would follow. It would signify his rise above his stepfather, that he was better than that abusive bastard. It was mark how he had finally overcome his failings, revealing to the world how he was indeed the very best. But now…now that he had lost…

"_I lost. I lost my own tournament. I lost to Yugi. I lost…_"

When the tournament was over, he had a choice to make. He could have easily pressed the button, sinking the pile of junk into the sea, never to be seen again. But the satisfaction that he craved from the action would never come from such a loss. In fact, such an act would be embarrassing, as it would reveal his regret, his inability to cope with the loss. And so the island stayed perfectly intact. The island that his father built, that he wanted to destroy since he took over the company all those years ago, was now a small blip in the distance.

He let his hands fall forward past the railing. Staring at the beautiful sea, he watched in the distance as the sun continued setting. It was a beautiful, picturesque moment, and he let the trace of a smile grace his lips at the sight. He suddenly remembered being a kid at the orphanage, watching the sunset every evening from the bridge with his little brother. Mokie, he had called him then. They would just watch, being careful not to stare at the sun for fear of hurting their eyes. Instead, they looked at the reflection in the water, their reflections smiling back at them. Those were…happier times.

And just as quickly as the nostalgia came, it left, leaving behind an empty void. The trace of the smile vanished, replacing itself with the usual frown, and he realized what it was he was doing. "_I'm thinking of the past when I should be thinking of the present. I lost to Yugi Motou. I need to think of a plan when I return to Domino. I know I want to begin working on KaibaLand, but will I even be able to focus?_"

Indeed, Kaiba had noticed the change since he came back from Noa's virtual reality. While his focus was mostly on the game, the cards, and his opponent's strategy, there was something that had bothered him. He couldn't pinpoint what it was… It had not been a sound, or an image, or something in the distance. No, there was just _something_ that bothered him. "_And the fact that it only began after I came back from Noa's world…_"

The thought sent a shiver down his spine. He knew Gozaburo did _something_ to him when he was unconscious, and not being able to determine what happened was driving him just as insane as the thought of his loss. It had been a crucial factor in him losing, at least in his mind. Whatever the distraction was, it hindered him, if only slightly. Still, he was not entirely focused on the duel, and it may have been what cost him his entire tournament. Maybe it was just his nerves or the fear that whatever Gozaburo did to him would come back to haunt him, but such an excuse was both improbable and unacceptable. Even if there was something wrong with him, he had yet to see or feel any symptoms, and letting such a minute thing affect his dueling was ridiculous.

"_I should have been focused. I've been preparing for this duel for months, and I let something like a trip to a brat's virtual reality affect me. After all this planning!_"

Deep down, however, he knew it was a legitimate excuse. He knew Gozaburo did something. He knew what that man was capable of. He easily remembered all those grueling tasks he was forced to endure, all the punishments he received, because of that man. From the description of his virtual wounds from Anzu (before his brother tactfully cut her off), he knew the old man had committed some act against him. Not knowing what it was not only angered him but secretly frightened him.

"_All those times he said I was worthless, that I would amount to nothing in this world. Every time he hit me, slapped me, tortured me, only to tell me to keep my mouth shut under penalty of targeting Mokuba next… I thought I had escaped all of that._"

And now, several years after the bastard he was forced to consider his adoptive father threw himself out a window, he was still haunted by his actions. Closing his eyes, he took in a large breath of the ocean air before releasing it, hanging his head as he did so in an attempt to rid himself of the stress that was accumulating inside him. He knew what would await him when he returned. Reporters and cameraman asking him how it felt to lose his own tournament. CEOs and businessmen considering his loss to be a sign of weakness. His fellow workers wondering and gossiping about his decline in the dueling world. All of this was awaiting him when he returned to Domino City…

"_And now I have to consider Gozaburo…even after his death…_"

"Hey there, Kaiba."

His eyes widened in surprise, and he quickly spun around to see Anzu standing in the middle of the platform. She was wearing her usual blue shorts and white shirt, as well as her matching blue shoes. He scoffed at her and turned back around to face the ocean.

"Not even a hello back? I guess I can't say that I'm surprised."

He heard her footsteps approaching him and realized with mild dismay that she was obviously here to talk to him. He waited until he could see her standing to his left out of the corner of his eye before turning to look at her.

"Wow, this is a beautiful scene," she noted, smiling over at him. "No wonder you're out here, even if it _is_ a bit chilly."

He wanted to tell her to go away, to leave him alone, but two things were bothering him. One was that she was alone. It was the first time he had ever seen her without Yugi or the group, and he was curious as to her reasoning for finding him. The second was more personal…and more painful.

"Yeah, I suppose," he responded, realizing she was waiting for an answer. When she didn't continue, he frowned before mentally swallowing the last bit of pride he felt. He had lost his tournament; what was a courteous gesture to him? "I… I didn't get a chance to thank you for taking care of Mokuba."

"What do you mean?" she questioned, glancing over at him. He decided looking at the ocean was a much better option and quickly did so to avoid her gaze. It was embarrassing enough having to admit that he, yet again, let Yugi's group rescue his brother. But thanking them for the job well done was hard for him. He knew, however, that it was their due, and he knew he would only have so many chances left.

"When I was unconscious in the virtual reality, as well as during my brief period when we returned. You made sure Mokuba was safe and that he got out of Noa's grasp. Thank you…for making sure Mokuba was okay."

"Kaiba, we never would have left you or your brother in that place. It's fine."

"_She couldn't just accept it and say "you're welcome," now could she?_" he thought, deciding to let the comment slide. "Just know that I am grateful for your help in the virtual reality."

She nodded and returned her gaze to the ocean. Silence soon surrounded the two, but it was a comfortable silence, ironically enhanced by the slight breeze now blowing. For the first time in years, it felt relaxing for him to be standing next to someone. Usually people were out to scrutinize you, size you up, and decide on whether or not to use you or abuse you. He never got that vibe from Yugi's group in general, particularly from Anzu, and it both fascinated him and worried him. All people were scumbags, but she… She had a heart. Something he never understood.

"_And now I'm getting philosophical. I must be getting exhausted._"

He went to push himself away from the railing in the hopes of getting his mind off of the dismal thoughts floating around his brain when he noticed something out of the corner of his right eye. He blinked and turned to see a man standing next to him, a man he had never seen before. He frowned and stared in curiosity, wondering where this man had come from. He was wearing what appeared to be a scientist's outfit. It was almost cliché: a white, button-up shirt, brown pants, business shoes, and a white lab coat with some pens and pencils sticking out of the breast pocket. He had brown hair that was parted in the middle, revealing tips of gray, and thick glasses. He appeared to be older, perhaps in his fifties. He was smiling, staring out into the ocean just like they were. But Seto hadn't heard him approach, and Anzu mentioned nothing of him.

"_Who is this guy?_"

And just as he thought this, the man slowly turned to stare at him, his smile widening only the slightest bit. Tilting his head to the side, as if motioning to some object, he leaned forward and whispered in a familiar voice, "Syringes are sanitized, sir."

Blinking in horror, Seto was dumbfounded when he saw nobody standing next to him. There was just empty space; the scientist was now nowhere to be seen. Doing a 180 degree turn, he was shocked to see no trace of the man. It was as if he had never stood there, and given that Seto had never seen him before, it was actually quite plausible.

But his voice…

"_Syringes are sanitized, sir."_

"Kaiba, is something wrong?"

Turning to face Anzu, he wasn't surprised to see her staring at him in wonder. He looked back to see that there was indeed no sign of the man. Sighing, he shook his head in disgust and said, "No… There's nothing wrong."

"_Syringes are sanitized, sir."_

There was no doubt in his mind that _that_ was the voice he had heard the previous night. No doubt. "_But that is impossible! How did I just see him standing here? Was that really him, or just my imagination? I don't remember ever seeing such a person before… Even if it was my imagination, why did it seem so…realistic?_"

"Kaiba, are you sure you're okay?"

He sighed and returned his hands to the railing. "Yes, Mazaki, I'm fine," he answered, though his voice was becoming shaky again. "_That voice… I know I've heard that voice before. It was when I woke up, after we had escaped from Noa's virtual world. When I woke up… When they…_"

"Mazaki… What did Gozaburo say in the virtual reality?"

The question seemed to surprise her, for she took a step back before sighing heavily. "Well, he said something about testing biological weapons—"

"You said that already. You told me what Noa did, how he exploded or whatever, and then how he came out and began ranting about weapons. But what did he say after that?"

"If you'd let me finish, Kaiba, I would tell you!" she scolded, crossing her arms over her chest. He growled in frustration; was she honestly going to act like a spoiled brat now? She waited a minute, as if expecting him to throw an insult back at her, before continuing. "He said that he wanted… well, that he wanted to make you suffer for taking over the company. So he said he…he said he was starting to test the biological weapons…on you."

"_Think of him as our first test subject."_

"After that, he told us we would see the effects of the weapons in the real world. That's honestly why we hooked you up to all that machinery once the doctor checked you out. And that is why I keep asking if you are okay or not. Mokuba went to look for you in your room and was surprised you weren't there, so I volunteered to search for you."

"_So he really did do something to me. He put…he put biological weapons in me? He tested something on me?_" Kaiba didn't know whether to feel anger or fear, and the mixture of the two was making him almost dizzy.

"That's why we were and still are so worried about you," she stated. "We didn't know what he meant by that, and from the wounds we found on your arms, we could tell they did something to you. We were scared, scared you would wake up with a serious injury or worse…that you wouldn't wake up at all."

"I'm awake, Mazaki," he curtly remarked.

"Yeah, I can tell," she replied with equal sarcasm. "But something's wrong."

"What do you mean?"

"What did you just see there?"

His eyes widened for a split second. "I didn't see anything," he answered.

"Then why did you look over there?"

"I thought I heard something, is all." And it was partially true. He heard the man speak, but only after he saw him.

"Are you sure that's it?"

"Mazaki, I'm fine."

"Kaiba…" He turned to face her directly and was surprised to see genuine concern in her eyes. She seemed to realize that her quest for information was futile, for she let her hands fall to her sides and said, "Just be sure to tell us if there is anything wrong. We all care about you, and we're all worried for you right now."

"You don't have to worry about me," he replied. "I don't see why you would want to anyway."

"Is it really so hard to believe that we actually care about you?" Her voice was rising in pitch, and Seto couldn't help but smirk at the knowledge that he was irritating her.

"Actually, it is."

"Why?"

"Why should I answer you?"

"Kaiba!" She growled in frustration, and he mentally chuckled at her reaction.

"I'm not talkative like some people, Mazaki, and I rather like being that way. So you can return to your friends and tell them that I am still alive and okay."

"Why don't you come back with me? Mokuba wants to see you."

"Then tell him where I am. He knows where the platform is."

"But Kaiba—"

"Mazaki, I'm not going back down just to listen to everyone talking. I like the peace and quiet, thank you very much."

"You know, just because you lost your tournament doesn't mean you can just hide from us." The statement was spoken casually, yet the sting involved caused him to visibly flinch. He glared down at Mazaki, who was surprisingly glaring back at him with equal anger. "I understand why you're so upset, but in the end, Kaiba, it's just a card game! What Gozaburo did to you in that virtual world matters more to us than a stupid game! If you're really hurt or feeling strange, then you should worry more about your health than your status in the dueling world!"

He glared down at her, not knowing what to say. "Mazaki, you have _no_ idea what I am thinking right now, and it's none of your damn concern!" he shouted back. "I am fine. Go tell your idiotic friends that I'm still alive and breathing. That's all they have to know!"

"And what about Mokuba? You do realize he is freaking out with worry because you are too stubborn to come down and talk to the rest of us, right?"

While her threats concerning Yugi and his group hardly fazed him, the mention of his brother stung Kaiba. He never wanted to hurt his brother, yet look at all the trouble he caused during the entire tournament. Still, if his brother was worried about him…

"Why didn't Mokuba come up with you if he is so worried about me?"

"Because he wants you to hang out with the rest of us, Kaiba."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"He knew that if he came looking for you alone, you would just shoo him off."

Kaiba's eyes widened. He didn't really think that of his older brother, did he?

"Come on, Kaiba. It's only for a night, and you can talk to Mokuba. He's really worried about you. He saw your wounds… He knows something happened. We all know something happened."

He realized that he was in a losing battle. To say no would mean upsetting Mokuba, and to say yes would subject him to a night of Jounouchi and Yugi celebrating their victories (although Seto could easily mock Jounouchi's cheers). Growling in defeat, he closed his eyes and muttered, "Fine. I'll come back down."

He noticed her smile immediately and turned in disgust. He wasn't doing it for her, that was for damn sure. Taking a quick second to examine the platform, he sighed when he saw no sign of the man from before. "_Maybe it was just my imagination. I am starting to feel tired… Perhaps that's it?_" Hearing Anzu begin walking towards the elevator, he sighed before following the relentless woman back into the blimp.


	4. CH 4 : Fearful Visions

_Author's Note: Hey guys! Just wanted to let you know that I really appreciate all the comments thus far! I wasn't sure if this type of story would pick up a lot of viewers; glad to know people appreciate the story! So thanks for all the notes and comments! _

_Now, on with the plot! _

_

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Chapter 4 : Fearful Visions

_He was still lying on the rough surface when he next woke up, though what was beneath him was close to all he could feel. His body felt numb, and his mind was moving at a slow pace. His thoughts seemed disjointed, mixed up, and he was having a hard time processing what was going on. He knew he was lying on something, and he was beginning to sense that it was a bed of some sort. Other than that, he knew nothing. Slowly opening his eyes, he saw a wooden ceiling and an offensively bright light hovering directly above him. He went to move, and his eyes widened as he felt resistance. Looking down, he saw a leather buckle wrapped around his hands, keeping him tied down to the surface. He realized that it was indeed a bed, and he had to wonder how the buckles had been connected to the bed in the first place. He went to try and break free when he suddenly heard movement outside. He glanced over to see the blurry image of two men entering the room._

"_How is he doing?" the bigger man asked. The voice sounded familiar, but it was still hazy. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he make out their voices? And why was his vision this blurry? What was going on?_

"_According to the monitors, the virus is entering his system at a decent pace," the other man responded. "It won't be long before it is fully transmitted into his brain waves."_

"_Good. I'm sure his idiotic bunch of acquaintances will soon show up, preparing to rescue him. Such nonsense, and after all the trouble I went through with raising him."_

_Gozaburo! Sensing the true danger he was in, he went to sever the buckles and growled in frustration when they refused to budge. The two heard his attempts, however, and both turned to look in surprise. _

"_Well, if the brat hasn't awoken from his slumber," Gozaburo remarked, casually approaching the bed as he did so. All he could do was stare at the bastard, but his vision was blurred, and it was painful to keep his eyes fully open with the bright light shining down on him. He merely glared at the man, wishing he could think of some way to leave, when he felt the man slap him hard across the cheek. His head rolled to the side, and he couldn't suppress the groan of pain as his cheek began to sting. _

"_Sir, what should we do? He shouldn't be awake yet, according to our charts."_

"_Give him another sedative. That will knock him out."_

"_I'll fill the syringe with half the proper dosage."_

"_Half? Fill it up!"_

"_Sir…?"_

"_You heard me! Give him the regular dosage amount!"_

"_Shouldn't we only give him half of the full dosage, sir? Or even a quarter would work, I'm sure. Why a full syringe?"_

"_Are you questioning me?"_

"_But, sir, if we overdose him, the damage will be—"_

"_You think I care about the damage? The whole point of this exercise is to watch him suffer, not to monitor the damage!"_

"_But…but sir…what about your son, Noa? Didn't you give him the virus as well?"_

"_Noa will accept the virus. He has to accept the virus; he is my son. This piece of trash is an outsider, one who must be dealt with. Now give him another sedative!"_

_He tried moving his arms, his legs, any part of his body other than his aching head, but it was futile. His body was frozen, and he could already feel his mind slipping away. He shivered at the touch of the man's hands as they rolled up the sleeve of his shirt. Turning to look, he saw to his horror the man holding a silver syringe, a translucent liquid floating inside. It was a small, thin syringe, yet it glowed in the light of the ceiling lamp. He watched as the man stuck the needle into his arm and groaned once more as he felt the liquid enter his system. A feeling of nausea soon swept over him. He closed his eyes and wished it away, and as the liquid began infiltrating his system, he felt his mind becoming as numb as his body, and the last sensation he felt was that of his stinging cheek hitting the surface of the bed._

_

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_

Opening his eyes, Seto hastily sat up and examined his surroundings. He was breathing heavily, and his stomach felt as though it was doing somersaults. Groaning in pain, he wrapped his arms around his torso and slowly looked around, realizing to his great relief that he was in his bedroom at the mansion. It was dark outside, and the large windows overlooking the backyard of the Kaiba Manor revealed a clear, starry night sky. It was peaceful, with a full moon shining into his room. Yet his mind was racing, and even though his stomach was beginning to calm down, he still felt dizzy.

Shivering, he placed a hand on his forehead and wiped away the excess sweat. "_It was only a dream,_" he surmised. "_It had to have been a dream. And yet…_" Glancing down at his forearm, he saw no marks or pricks in his skin. Still, it was strange. He suddenly felt as if he wasn't seeing what should be there. The dream felt real enough, at least to him, but then again, didn't all dreams feel real?

"_I need to wash my face._" He pushed the dark blue covers back and swung his legs over the side of the bed, his feet touching the cold, wooden floor. Walking across the length of the bedroom, he opened the door to his private bathroom and turned the light on, flinching at the sudden brightness that greeted him. Most of his bathroom was a beige color, with a white sink and bath tub along the southern wall. He approached the sink and turned the hot water on, filling his cupped hands with the liquid before gently splashing it across his face. He gasped at the touch before taking a nearby towel and wiping the water away. He then took the opportunity to look at himself in the mirror. He was wearing black sweatpants and a dark blue t-shirt, and his hair was in slight disarray. Nobody would ever believe that he, the CEO of KaibaCorp, could ever wake up like a normal teenager every morning. Some mornings he sure didn't feel like a teenager, thinking of all the meetings and reports he would have to fill out during the course of the day. What he would give to wake up one morning _without_ the hassle of worrying over his company and his schedule. God, what he would give…

Sighing, he smirked at his reaction and shook his head. "_What a weird dream…and this is the second time. Both times were with Gozaburo… This is just plain weird._" He shook his head once more and frowned. "_I wonder if it has anything to do with what happened in the virtual reality. Anzu said something about Gozaburo testing something on me, and in these dreams I keep seeing a scientist injecting something into me. It…feels so real, and…and…_"

He shivered and returned to staring at his reflection. "_It was just a dream. The only time I ever saw anything strange was when that…that scientist appeared, and I quickly determined that it was from exhaustion. It had to have been; I've never seen him before. I'm just panicking because I don't know what happened. That's all… At least, I hope it is._"

Placing the towel back on the rack, he went to leave when a sudden flash caught his attention. He squinted his eyes and returned his concentration to the mirror only to see himself in the reflection. But he was sure he had seen something… Or maybe not. Maybe he was still tired. "_I did have a rather weird dream,_" he reasoned. "_I'm probably still subconsciously thinking about it. I wonder what time it is. Maybe I'll have time to—"_

And there it was again. His eyes widened as he saw what appeared to be the man from before suddenly standing directly behind him. It was the same man he had seen on the blimp, wearing the same attire and smiling the same smile. Seto's breath caught in his throat, and he cautiously reached his hand backwards, attempting to prove that this was indeed an illusion. It both disturbed and comforted him when he felt nothing behind him. It really was an illusion, but then why was this the second time he was seeing this?

He merely stood and waited, as if expecting the illusion to move. It didn't; it just smiled back at him, most likely expecting him to move as well. He blinked his eyes, hoping for the same results as last time, but was surprised to discover that the man had not disappeared. He was still standing behind him, smiling that unsettling smile. And then, just as he was about to move, the man suddenly reached forward, placing his hand on Seto's shoulder. The fact that Seto could not feel his touch but could see him touching him caused him to be frozen to the spot. He had never seen anything like this before… Was this really an illusion? The man leaned forward, and his smile widened slightly before he patted Seto's shoulder. "Sir, I think the subject is awake," he stated in the same voice Seto had heard in his dream.

Spinning around, Seto began panting heavily when he saw no one behind him. He knew there was nobody there, but still…to actually _see_ that there was no one there startled him. He turned to look back at the mirror and was relieved to find that the man was gone. He merely stared into the mirror, doing his best to control his quickening heart rate. "_Just a dream… It was just a dream. I'm just tired. That's all that was._" But Seto knew there was more to it. He wasn't that dumb. Sure, he didn't believe in the heart of the cards bullshit, and the Egyptian past-life conspiracy theory Yami and Ishizu tossed around was foolish at best, but Seto knew that there was something seriously wrong. This was the second time he had seen that man, a man who he had never seen before but whose voice sent shivers down his spine. And all after Gozaburo's trip…

He had to know what happened, and if his dreams were anything to go off of, he was slowly regaining his memory of the incident. The question was, what good would it do to remember? Even if he could remember, would he be able to figure out what it was that was making him see this man?

"Are you okay, Big Brother?"

The sound jolted him out of his trance, and he jumped in surprise and turned to see his younger brother standing in the doorway. Mokuba was holding a cup of tea, and his eyes were wide with worry. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine," he answered, his trembling voice holding little authority. Noticing his brother's skeptical stare, he added, "Really, I'm fine. What are you doing in my room, anyways?"

"It's Saturday night, Seto. You know I'm usually up late playing video games."

"Oh…right." Yet his brother's statement startled him. "_He usually only stays up until one or two in the morning, which means that it is still pretty late at night. Maybe I can get some more rest before tomorrow…_"

"Are you sure you're feeling all right, Seto?" he inquired. "You've been standing here for several minutes now… What were you looking at?"

Seto's eyes widened. "Have you been standing there watching me this whole time?"

"Well, I heard you get out of bed and was worried you had a nightmare or something. I was going to offer you a cup of tea if you wanted one. But you were just…standing there. I wasn't sure if you were just thinking about something or…"

Shaking his head, Seto sighed and smiled down at his brother. "I'm fine, Mokuba. I just…had a weird dream, is all."

"You sure? You looked… I don't know, you looked scared there for a moment."

"_Yeah, maybe…_" The idea flustered him. Scared of an illusion? He was never one to fear superstitious shit like that. Still, he wasn't one to believe in coincidences either, and this was the second time he saw that man only to have him disappear. "You know, maybe a cup of tea would be good right now," he commented. "Can you go prepare me one?"

Mokuba smiled and nodded his head, rushing out of the room with surprising speed. Seto briefly wondered how his younger brother managed to not spill his drink while running before turning the light off in his bathroom and reentering his bedroom. Slipping into a pair of comfortable, black slippers, he examined his room once more and frowned when he saw no sign of the man.

"_Both Mokuba and Anzu have asked about these visions, and my dreams are only getting more and more realistic. They are obviously connected in some way, but the question is, how? I was attacked in the virtual world… Gozaburo did something to me. But physical harm doesn't transfer over into the real world. Only mental harm—_"

"_But, sir, if we overdose him, the damage will be—"_

"You coming down, Seto?" Mokuba questioned. Seto turned to see his brother standing in the bedroom doorway smiling innocently at him.

"Yeah, of course," he replied, following his brother out of his room and down the hallway, their steps echoing against the walls and wooden floor. They soon reached the grand staircase which led down to the main foyer, and, descending to the bottom, the duo made a left and walked through the dining room, entering the brightly lit kitchen where a cup of tea was sitting on the marble counter. The kitchen was established to also act as a barroom; the eastern wall was lined with a stove, microwave, oven, refrigerator, and basically all other appliances required to cook, while a line of counter space was placed in the center of the room, stools lining the western side where people could sit and watch the chef at work. Gozaburo supposedly used it often to show off how well he ate to other businessmen, but Seto never used the mansion for parties and usually used the bar as his dining area. As a result, the adjacent dining room was becoming a dusty shell of its former self, but the maid made sure to keep it clean just in case.

Walking up to one of the many black stools, Seto took a seat and grabbed the blue mug of hot tea, taking a large breath of it to smell its worth. The light illuminated off the white walls and white tiles, and for a second Seto wondered if it really was as late as he first believed. He smiled down at his brother, who smiled back at him and began sipping his tea once more. He suddenly felt like a kid, as if the two were breaking the rules and staying up late at night to drink tea. It was absurd yet humorous at the same time, and it caused Seto's smile to grow significantly. He placed the cup to his lips and felt the hot liquid enter his mouth.

"_Syringes are sanitized, sir."_

He nearly choked on his drink as he swiftly took the cup away from his lips, slamming it down onto the countertop out of horror. Swallowing what was left in his mouth, Seto took in a large breath of air before turning in his seat. Mokuba's eyes widened considerably, and he quickly asked, "Wh-What's wrong, Big Brother?"

It had been _loud_. Louder and clearer than he had ever heard it before. It felt as though someone had screamed the phrase into his ear, hoping he would hear it in the next house over. Why had it been louder that time? What made it different? In fact, it had been so loud that Seto could feel a rapid aching in his head. The imaginary scream had given him a headache.

"Uhm, nothing, Mokuba," he answered turning back in his chair to look at his cup.

"Seto, stop lying to me! What the hell is wrong with you?"

Placing his elbow onto the countertop, he set his hurting head in his hand and closed his eyes. "I… I don't know what's wrong, Mokuba," he answered. "I just… I keep hearing this guy's voice, and…and…" But his thoughts were becoming chaotic as his head continued pounding. He had never had a headache like this before; it was as if his very heartbeat was pulsating in the temples of his skull.

"Whose voice? Seto, what's wrong?"

"I…I think I need some medicine, Mokuba." His voice was shaking; he was scared. Something was wrong. Something was—

"_Syringes are sanitized, sir."_

He went to stand out of his seat, but a shot of pain sent through his skull did short work of his attempt. He fell onto his knees, clasping his head between his hands, listening as Mokuba set his cup down and rushed to his aide. "Seto, what medicine? What's wrong? Please, tell me something! What is happening? Seto!"

His breathing was quickening, and he could feel his pulse rising. His head felt like it was on fire. Opening his eyes, he was unsurprised to see that his vision was blurred. He turned to look at his brother and could only see a vague outline of his features, yet he knew the boy was sitting directly in front of him. He closed his eyes once more and wished for the pain to go away only to see a sudden scene flash before his eyes. An arm…his arm…a syringe penetrating his skin, the translucent liquid being injected into his bloodstream. A sting suddenly nipped his arm; it felt as though it was currently happening.

"_Syringes are sanitized, sir."_

"Seto, I'm calling a doctor! Just…just hold on!"

Looking up in terror, he watched as his brother ran out of the room, leaving him alone in the silence. Groaning in pain, he saw the scene flash before him once again, and as the man began to speak, his world came crashing down around him. He felt himself hit the tile floor of the kitchen before closing his eyes. It was only a few seconds later that he was enveloped in total darkness.


	5. CH 5 : Hospital Visit

Chapter 5 : Hospital Visit

Walking down the sterile, white hallway of the third floor of the hospital, Anzu quickly found her way to the room marked 304 and opened the door. The apprehension she felt during the drive over suddenly turned to reality, and the sight made her stomach turn. She knew there was something wrong the second she saw him on the blimp, but she never imagined it would come to this.

Seto Kaiba was lying unconscious in the single hospital bed. An IV was set-up, the syringe taped to the top of his hand, and a monitor with two wires connected to his chest indicated both his heart rate and breathing rate. He was wearing the usual white dress given to patients, yet the light blue covers were pulled up to the middle of his torso. He looked just as lifeless now as he did when they first found him in the virtual reality, and the comparison sent a shiver down her spine. Looking to her right, she saw Mokuba sitting in a chair close to the white nightstand, his eyes glued to his brother. The windows along the wall allowed plenty of sunlight to enter, illuminating the entire room, yet the constant beeping of the monitor kept it from being a comforting sight. It was the typical hospital scene she always saw on television and in movies…except this time, it was reality.

"Hey Mokuba," she said, getting the boy's attention. He swiftly looked over at her and attempted to smile, yet it came across as though he was ready to vomit. He probably was. And from the red circles around his eyes, it was obvious he had been crying.

"Hey Anzu," he whispered. Pulling up a black chair next to him, he pointed to it and said, "Here, you can sit down if you want."

She nodded her head and walked across the room, taking her seat next to him. He looked tired, and she wondered how long he had been sitting in that chair staring at his older brother. "What time did all of this happen?" she asked, deciding she would ask as many questions as possible. She knew Kaiba wasn't one to just fall over and pass out, and she was…well, she was just worried. She wanted answers.

"Early this morning, around one o' clock," he replied, his voice low and soft.

"What happened?"

"I was up playing video games and decided to make myself a cup of tea when I went to check on Seto. I heard him tossing in bed earlier and wanted to make sure he was okay. He's had nightmares before, and I hate it when he wakes up and acts like nothing's wrong. It drives me crazy. So I opened the door and was surprised to see that he wasn't there." Sighing, he said, "I saw that his bathroom light was on and went to make sure he was alright. He was standing in the front of the mirror just…looking at it. His eyes were wide… It was obvious something had worried him. I figured he had a rather bad nightmare and asked if he was okay, and he jumped at my voice. He _never_ does that Anzu…"

"Nightmares?"

"Yeah, Seto has never been one to sleep well."

"Do you think it was a nightmare that scared him?"

"I don't know. I asked if anything was wrong, but he just shrugged it off like he always does."

"Is that when he passed out?"

Mokuba shook his head no. "I asked him if he wanted a cup of tea, and he said yes. So I went downstairs and made him one. It took a bit, though, for him to come down, and I think he was still worried over whatever it was that happened. I returned to make sure he was okay, and he looked as though he was trying to find something. He came down with me after he noticed me, and he began drinking his cup of tea when he suddenly slammed the cup down on the counter. He looked _terrified_, Anzu, and I don't know why! No one was around; nothing happened! Yet he acted as though someone came up behind him and freaked him out! That's when he started clutching his head. He fell to the floor, saying something about hearing someone's voice, and then he started asking for some medicine. I kept asking him what was wrong, what it was that he was hearing, but then he opened his eyes." Turning to look at Anzu, he whispered, "His eyes were _red_, Anzu. Not as red as Noa's, but still… There were traces of red, and that's when I knew I had to do something. I left, telling him I was calling the doctor, and quickly phoned the hospital. I tried explaining to them what was happening, that he was freaking out and developing a severe migraine. They told me they would send an ambulance, and when I returned, he was passed out cold on the floor. I… I don't know what happened, Anzu!"

The boy's lips were quivering as he returned his focus to his brother. Anzu's hands began shaking, and she clasped them together in her lap and bit her lower lip. "Do you…do you think it has something to do with what Gozaburo said in the virtual reality? About the biological weapon?"

"I… I don't know," he answered. "I think so, but then what could have happened?"

"Kaiba said that no physical harm transmits into the real world. Could…could he have done something mentally to Kaiba, do you think?"

Mokuba visibly shuddered in his seat. "I… I really don't know, Anzu. I just… I just don't know…"

Leaning forward, she placed her hand on the boy's shoulder and went to comfort him when the sound of the door opening startled her. She quickly looked up to see a female nurse entering the room. The woman appeared to be relatively young, having smooth, pale skin and long, blonde hair that was pulled back into a ponytail. She was wearing a pink scrubs outfit, and Anzu frowned and briefly wondered how professional the woman truly was.

"Hello there, I'm Dr. Kaio," she greeted, smiling politely at the two. "I take it you two are relatives to Mr. Kaiba?"

"He is," Anzu responded when Mokuba refused to answer. "I am just a friend."

"I see. Well, we've run several tests on Mr. Kaiba since he first arrived, and I just received the results several minutes ago. I was told the boy was waiting for them…is it okay with you if she hears the news as well?"

Mokuba's eyes widened in surprise. "Of course," he answered. "She's a family friend." Anzu tried to suppress her chuckle; she could only imagine what Kaiba would say to such a thing.

"I just wanted to check, is all. Sometimes we have families who are a little strange when it comes to these things." The two waited impatiently as she took out her clipboard and began nonchalantly sifting through the small stack of papers. Coming towards the end, she smiled and said, "All of his physical and vital signs are stable, and there seems to be no corporeal damage. You mentioned something about his head hurting before he passed out, however, so we did some brain scans to monitor his brain waves. We found something quite unusual." Pulling the clipboard to her chest, she stared at the two and stated, "We found certain brain waves that were different from the majority. They seemed to mimic waves from a form of dementia or schizophrenia, but we aren't entirely sure on the matter. The fact that it occurs sporadically, and the strength in which it appears and disappears, is unnatural. It seems as though it comes and goes in stages, but we only caught a brief glimpse of it before it disappeared. I'm… I'm afraid we currently know little of what to do about it or what it could possibly mean."

Dementia? Schizophrenia? "_Where the hell did these symptoms come from?_" Anzu thought, her eyes widening in horror. "_Where would Kaiba have gained something like that? Don't those symptoms usually occur in older people? And if not, isn't it hereditary? Wouldn't Kaiba have shown signs of this before?_"

"I am sorry about our lack of knowledge on the subject," the nurse responded, noticing their confused stares. "We want to give him a prescription in case something like this would ever happen again, and the pharmacists as well as the other doctors are working now to determine what it is we will be diagnosing. But for now, there is very little we can do. Something is happening to him mentally, but it is unclear as to what is precisely occurring. We cannot say if the brain waves are causing him to hear things or see things… It is surprisingly very complicated to pinpoint. We have never seen such waves come and go at these surprising speeds."

"I… I see," Mokuba answered, his voice shaking.

"_I wonder if he believes Gozaburo caused this,_" she thought, turning to look down at him. "_I mean, we were in a virtual reality. Our minds were trapped. Kaiba had damage done to him in the virtual reality. Physically he was hurt, and who knows what Gozaburo said to him? Maybe something really did transfer into the real world… It makes sense given that the doctors can't seem to determine what is wrong. At least to me it does._"

"How long will Seto be unconscious, do you think?" he questioned, looking back to his older brother.

"Given that his condition is more mental than physical, I would assume he will awaken by tonight," she answered. "In fact, if he does so, we can prescribe him some medicine and send him home by tomorrow afternoon. That is, if he is feeling up to it."

Mokuba nodded his head and sighed. "How long do you think this will last?"

"Honestly, we aren't sure. One of the doctors believes it is just a minor condition that will disappear by the end of the week or even tomorrow morning. Others are not so sure. We will have to monitor him throughout the night to see if the brain waves develop or decrease. If nothing happens, we can try to conclude it as being an isolated incident. However, if something happens…"

"When will the tests be run?"

"We want to wait until he is awake to perform another scan. That way we can compare when he is asleep to when he is awake. We will be able to send you the test results as soon as they come in, which make take a day or two."

"So what do you make of this?" Anzu asked, wanting her official opinion.

"I am relatively new to the field, yet I have never seen anything like this. Usually a victim of dementia or schizophrenia has a constant stream of ins and outs. While their brain waves are scattered, we can immediately determine if it is one or the other. This is…puzzling." Chuckling, she added, "I'm sorry. I suppose such comments are not very cheerful."

"I would rather them be honest," Anzu replied.

"I'm happy to hear that. Too many times we have had people come in hoping for the best instead of being realistic." Checking her watch, she sighed and said, "Well, I have to attend to the other patients. If you have any questions, feel free to tell the secretary on this floor. She will send me a message, and I'll do my best to report back as quickly as possible." Bowing slightly, she wished for them to have a safe trip home before exiting the room, shutting the door quietly behind her.

"So…what do you think?" she asked, glancing down at Mokuba.

"Gozaburo did something to him," he answered, his voice soft yet cold. "It has to be the case. Seto has _never_ acted in this manner before. He is secretive, but he can't hide everything from me. I knew something was wrong with him… I just don't understand why he cannot tell me these things."

"If I had to guess, I would think he would rather keep you from worrying about his problems," Anzu noted.

"But I'm his younger brother! I care about him so much, yet he hides his troubles from me. I wish he would open up to me more, and I've talked to him about this in the past. If he would have told me that he was seeing or hearing things, then I would have been prepared for this. We could have done something to avoid all of this…"

Anzu frowned and lightly patted the boy's shoulder. "I'm sure he just wanted to make sure he knew what was wrong with him before worrying you about it. And from his reactions you described, he obviously is unsure as to what is occurring as well. Maybe he was just afraid to worry you over nothing?"

Mokuba lightly chuckled and turned to look at her. "You know, you can read my brother pretty well if that is what you think his reasoning is."

"Well, we've been through a lot with the Battle City finals."

"Don't forget about Duelist Kingdom."

"Yeah, how can I forget?"

"Man, we've been through a lot… And now we have to deal with this." Sighing, Mokuba leaned back in his seat and said, "My guess is that this is connected to the incident in the virtual reality. She said it was something mental, and Seto has never shown signs like this before. Gozaburo must have done something that affected him in the real world… I guess I should have listened more closely to him when he spoke. Maybe I could have picked up a clue as to what he did to my brother."

"But what are we going to do now?"

"I'm not sure. I will have to talk to Seto about it… Maybe if we send him back into the virtual world, we can search for what is wrong with him. There has to be something we can do…"

"Well, I suppose we will just have to wait until he wakes up to see what he thinks of all this."

"Yeah, I guess."

Standing out of her seat, she stared once more at the unconscious CEO and sighed. It hurt her knowing there was nothing she could do to help him despite knowing he disliked her. It wasn't that she liked him all that much either, but she still cared for him. She knew he had a heart, and she knew that he had not meant to turn into a cold-hearted businessman. It was just the way he was raised. In fact, thinking back on it, maybe the virtual reality had been helpful with her understanding of Kaiba. Before, he had just been a snotty, rich businessman with an ego the size of Japan. Seeing only a fraction of the pain and torture he went through to get to the top, she realized that there was much more to him than met the eye. And now to see him suffering for what his stepfather did…

"I think I am going to leave and get some lunch," she said, turning her attention to the younger Kaiba. "You must have been sitting here for hours; do you want to come along and grab something? I can bring you back here, if you wish."

He seemed to contemplate the idea for a moment but shook his head. "No, I want to be here when he wakes up. I want to make sure he is okay. But… Anzu… After you go out to lunch, would you mind coming back here?"

"Why?"

"I just… I want you to be here when he wakes up. If his eyes are red again, or if he says something weird that the doctors do not understand, I want someone to be here who understands the real situation. I can't tell the doctors that our dead stepfather may have done something to Seto in a virtual reality, you know what I mean?"

Anzu chuckled despite knowing the severity of the situation and nodded her head. "I can't say I will be able to stay all night, but I can stop by in the afternoon and check up on you."

Mokuba smiled for the first time since she arrived, causing her to smile in return. "Thanks. I really appreciate it."

Nodding her head, she glanced towards Kaiba one more time before walking out of the hospital room.

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_Author's Note: Well, here we are at the end of chapter 5! I've said it before, and I'll (hopefully) say it again: thanks a lot for all the comments! Also, I have taken an introductory course in psychology, but the evidence and brain activity used by the doctor is something I entirely made up. I do not know the exact brain activity of dementia or schizophrenia, so don't quote me on any of this! It's a fanfic, after all!_


	6. CH 6 : Diagnosis

_Author's Note: Alrighty, we are now at chapter 6! Woot woot! Hope you guys are enjoying the story thus far; the comments have been greatly appreciated! _

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Chapter 6 : Diagnosis

He couldn't remember what happened to him, or how he got here. He knew he was somewhere else, and at first, he was afraid. Afraid he was in Gozaburo's world again. Afraid that a scientist was going to stick a needle in him which would distort his sense of reality. He could hear the beeping of a monitor close by, and two cold patches were stuck to his chest. He wasn't in the clothes he fell asleep in, and the surface beneath him was firm yet soft, like a comforter. Someone had moved him, changed him, perhaps even done something to him.

Deciding to face his fear, he slowly opened his eyes and nearly shivered at the sudden bright light. But it was a different kind of light than the one he remembered from his dream, and as his eyes began to adjust, he realized it was sunlight. Shocked, he waited until his eyes fully adjusted before looking around the room. He was in a hospital room, a monitor established next to his bed and an IV leading down to his arm. Glancing over in the direction of the sunlight, he was surprised to see two empty chairs close to the bed. "_Was somebody here?_" he briefly thought before chuckling at his stupidity. "_Of course Mokuba would be. He… Mokuba…_" His smirk turned into a frown, and for a few seconds a pang of deep guilt hit him. "_I passed out in front of him… We had gone down to drink our cups of tea, and that's when I heard that scientist's voice scream in my ears. Why was it so loud this time? Why did it startle me so? I… Mokuba must have called the hospital and had the doctors come get me. Dammit, what is happening to me? Why is this happening?_"

He groaned as he placed his head in his hand. "_My head still hurts… I wonder what the doctors did to me. I highly doubt they can pinpoint what is wrong with me. Something mentally disturbing is going on in my head… I can't deny this. His voice was so…so loud, and so realistic. There is something affecting my head, and it all began when we went to that virtual reality. Gozaburo must have done something to me. I… I have to figure out how to fix this._"

He did not like admitting something so strange was wrong with him. After all, he had spent the past year or so denouncing anything superstitious or odd that came within two feet of Yugi and his gang. How Gozaburo would have transferred something into the real world was a mystery to him, but there was no denying the symptoms he had been experiencing since first waking up in the real world. And the dreams showed Gozaburo and some scientist, presumably the one that kept appearing in Seto's visions, doing something to him. "_Anzu mentioned something about a biological weapon. I wonder if Gozaburo lured us to the virtual reality so he could test it on us. Am I the only one experiencing these visions? And how is this even possible?_"

He let his hand fall to his lap and looked out the window. He could tell from the perspective of height that he was on perhaps the third or fourth floor. He suddenly felt helpless towards his situation. Something was fucking with his mind, and he had no idea how to even begin figuring out what it was. He was in a hospital room, waiting to be told by some doctor that he was experiencing something unnatural. He knew it was what they were going to say. How he could tell them that the son of a bitch he called his stepfather all those years ago trapped him into a virtual reality and fucked with his mind? Especially when he had no idea what was going on in the first place…

Sighing, he went to lean back in his bed when the door to his room suddenly burst open. He blinked in surprise and smiled at the sight of Mokuba entering the room, a chocolate milk bottle in hand. The smile diminished somewhat, however, when Anzu entered shortly after him. She gently closed the door to the room before glancing over in his direction. Their eyes directly met, and for a few seconds, they merely stared at each other. He couldn't tell what she was thinking; her eyes displayed a mixture of disbelief and horror. "_What, did she want me dead?_" he thought bitterly.

"K-Kaiba?" she exclaimed, her lips immediately forming a smile. The gesture threw him off, but he didn't have time to react, for he saw his brother swiftly turn around to stare at him.

"Big brother!" Setting his chocolate milk on one of the chairs, Mokuba rushed forward and jumped onto the bed, wrapping his arms around Seto's neck. Chuckling at the boy's antics, he returned the hug and brought him closer, happy to know that he was okay. Seto smiled and messed a bit with his black mess of hair before holding him out at arm's length.

"Two questions," he began. "One: how long have I been out? Two: are you okay?"

Mokuba rolled his eyes yet continued smiling. "You've been out for about half a day now. And yes, Seto, I'm fine, though I don't know why you're the one asking when I'm not the one lying in the hospital bed." Sighing in relief, Seto let his hands fall down to his sides and watched as Mokuba slid off the bed. "I'm going to tell them that you are awake now," he stated. "I'll be right back!"

And before he could say another word, the boy dashed out of the room and into the hallway.

Seto chuckled once more before turning his attention to his second guest. "I suppose I should thank you for taking care of him in my absence."

"Oh, I hardly did anything," she answered. He was surprised by the size of her smile; she appeared genuinely happy to see him awake. "He called me this morning and told me you were in the hospital. I came to visit and make sure nothing terrible happened and then left for lunch. He asked me to come back this afternoon and, well…" Taking a sip of what Seto noted as being another bottle of chocolate milk, she swallowed and said, "I'm really happy to see you are awake and okay."

"I wouldn't say I'm okay…" he answered, feeling a slight tinge of pain shoot through his head. "I must have a headache after falling."

"Do you remember what happened?"

"I just…heard some weird shit, and then I passed out." He groaned as he remembered the voice of the scientist screaming in his ear. "_Who the hell is that man? I've never seen him before… Why is he the only one I keep seeing or hearing?_"

"Do you think it has anything to do with the Gozaburo business?"

Growling, he glared in her direction and noticed her visibly shiver. "If I knew, wouldn't I have done something about it by now? I don't know what the hell is happening to me. I'm seeing weird shit and hearing voices I have never heard before. How the fuck am I supposed to know what is happening to me?"

Seeing her shocked expression, he realized what he said was completely uncalled for. He sighed loudly in frustration and leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes and wishing for the dull pain in his head to go away. "I… I apologize for that. You did nothing wrong. I am just… I don't know what's going on. It has to be something Gozaburo did, but whatever it is, it's fucking with my mind. I cannot keep doing this. So I… Know that what I said is just my frustration at the situation, not at you."

He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder and glanced up to see her smiling down at him. She nodded in understanding and patted his shoulder before saying, "It's okay. You haven't done anything wrong. I can't say I know what you are going through, but I can understand your anger towards the situation. Just know that I want to help with this, okay?"

All he could do was stare in confusion at her. Her eyes were staring directly into his, and rather than being anxious, he felt surprisingly comforted. He wondered why she cared about his well-being when he had never been kind to her in the past and went to ask when the door to the room opened once more. Both of them turned to see Mokuba and a nurse enter. Seto saw the woman was wearing pink scrubs and groaned. "_She looks like the cheerful type_."

"Good afternoon, Mr. Kaiba!" she exclaimed as she walked over to the side of the bed. Setting down her clipboard onto the nearby nightstand, she smiled at him and said, "My name is Dr. Kaio. I am happy to see you are awake. How do you feel right now?"

"Fine," he answered curtly. She smirked and nodded her head.

"Does anything hurt right now? Stomach, head, any appendages…?"

"I have a slight headache," he admitted, rubbing his hand against his temple.

"Well, we will be able to check on that in a little bit. I told the other doctors to prepare for another scan."

Seto frowned. "What kind of scan?"

"I know this is going to sound strange, and you will probably be a bit defensive, however, in order to proceed, it is imperative you tell us the truth about these things." Smiling lightly, she leaned forward and stated, "We performed several brain scans while you were unconscious, Mr. Kaiba, and found something that was rather disturbing. It was an unusual wave, one that we find in patients with dementia and schizophrenia. One of the doctors has determined that it is indeed a mutated form of dementia, however we are unsure how it came about. We have no records of you displaying this type of brain activity before, and while it has been awhile since you last came in for a check-up, we have no indication in our records relating to this matter. None of your family has registered signs of such behavior either, meaning you did not obtain it through genetics."

"What are you talking about?" he questioned, wanting to know what the hell she was ranting on about. Dementia? Schizophrenia? There was no way…

"Mr. Kaiba, have you been seeing or hearing things that others do not?"

The question was so blunt that he caught himself ready to flinch. He glanced over to see both Mokuba and Anzu staring curiously at him, awaiting his response. He couldn't lie, but did he really want insanity listed in his health records? How was he going to get out of this?

"If you haven't seen or heard anything, have you been having strange dreams lately?" the nurse asked, seemingly sensing his apprehension. "Some patients experience abnormal patterns during sleep when they first develop this kind of thing, though yours is rather peculiar. The strength in which it comes and goes is rather astonishing."

"What is so 'astonishing' about the strength of a brain wave?" he questioned, eyeing her suspiciously.

"It means that whatever is happening to you must be vivid. You must have noticed something out of the ordinary recently, is that correct?"

He could tell her he had been having weird dreams. It would be an easy way out, as she wouldn't be able to write down that he was insane due to fucked up nightmares. Besides, he had had weird dreams all his life. It technically wasn't a lie. No, he wanted her to know as little as possible about what was going on in his head. He couldn't have dementia on his medical record, and even if he explained what had happened, she would have little to no understanding of what he was talking about. So, closing his eyes to avoid her stare, he whispered, "I _have _been having some rather weird dreams lately."

"May I ask about what?"

Glaring back at her, he went to ask what business it was of hers when he again noticed Anzu and Mokuba staring at him. They appeared truly concerned for him, and while Anzu's stare only put him off slightly, Mokuba's sent a shiver down his spine. "_I am really worrying the poor kid over this,_" he realized to his disappointment. "_Here he is trying to help me, saving my ass, and I have yet to tell him any of this. I'm going to hear it from him when we go back, and, truth be told, I probably deserve it._"

"Mr. Kaiba?"

"They're about me being… I don't know, I think I'm being tortured in my dreams," he answered, closing his eyes once more. Leaning forward, he placed his hand on his forehead and said, "I see two people usually. I'm lying in a bed, and there's a blinding light above me. One of the men injects me with something using a clean syringe. After that, it all fades to black."

"Is it the same vision every night?"

"Basically."

"And how vivid is the dream? As vivid as others you have had?"

"It feels a bit more realistic, but not by much."

"How long have you had this dream?"

Thinking back to when the Battle City finals ended, he said, "A little over a week now."

"Every night?"

"Every night."

"Have you had dreams like this before?"

"No."

"Do you have any idea what the vision could be from? A movie, perhaps, or a connection to some memory?"

"I'm not sure." Her questions were starting to irritate him. He had to think of a way to combat what was going on in his mind; the nurse was just wasting his time.

"I see…" Standing straight, she said, "Well, we would like to keep you here for another night in order to perform another brain scan. We completed one while you were asleep, and we believe it would be useful to do so while you are awake in order to compare the brain waves. Would that be all right?"

While he honestly did not feel like spending another night in this room, he knew the brain scan would indeed be useful. He wanted to know what was going on just as much as the nurse did, and knowing whether or not the brain waves were stronger while he was awake or asleep would be useful. "_Still, how did that bastard transfer this into the real world? Did he do something that damaged my brain waves in the virtual reality? How is that even possible?_"

"I will leave to check and see if the machine is ready," Dr. Kaio remarked, grabbing her clipboard once more. "I should be back in a few minutes. It may be best if the two of you were to leave now," she added, glancing over to Mokuba and Anzu. "This usually takes a little over an hour, and he may be exhausted by the end of it. It's important that he rests after the test."

The nurse then left the room, leaving the three of them alone. Mokuba slowly slid out of the chair and walked over to the edge of the bed, where he leaned forward and went to give him another hug. Seto wrapped his arms around the boy, feeling him return the favor, and said, "I'm sorry I didn't say anything before. I wasn't sure if it was something serious or not."

"I know, Seto, I know. But…do you believe Gozaburo did something?"

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he muttered, "Yeah, I do."

"How are we going to fix you, Seto?"

"I don't know. I'll think of something. I won't live the rest of my life this way, that's for damn sure."

Seeing his brother nod his head out of the corner of his eye, he let go of him before glancing up at Anzu. "I hate to ask you to do this, but do you mind driving him home?"

"No problem," she answered. "You just get some rest. We'll figure out what's wrong with you when you are released."

Nodding his head, he watched as the two left and thought, "_Since when the hell did Mokuba begin trusting Anzu so much? And, more importantly, when did she start involving herself in my personal life?_" At least he knew Mokuba was safe with her, and he supposed that, in the end, that was all that mattered. Still, he hated relying on others for their help. He was raised to trust no one, and suddenly this optimistic brunette walked in and began acting as though she cared about him. Something was wrong, and yet he knew better than that. "_I guess she is just trying to be nice,_" he thought reluctantly. Hearing the door open once more, he saw the nurse reenter the room and rolled his eyes. It was going to be a long night of pondering, but at least he would have some quiet time to think.


	7. CH 7 : A Test Run

_Author's Note: Woot, now we're getting into some good stuff! Sorry these first few chapters have been a bit slow, but do not fret: good stuff is on the way!

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Chapter 7 : A Test Run

Taking his seat in the virtual reality simulator, Seto sighed before closing his eyes and gripping the edge of the armrests. "Are you sure this is a good idea, Big Brother?" Mokuba asked from across the room as he began pressing the buttons on the computer keyboard. Seto opened his eyes and waited as the glass screen closed, preventing his escape. The machine now activated, a helmet slid over his head, revealing a screen in front of his eyes along with sound barriers which surrounded his ears. The chair rose slightly off the platform, and two straps circled around his shoulders, fitting him snuggly into the seat.

"I have to see if these effects are only in the real world, Mokuba," he answered, doing his best to maintain his voice. What the doctors had told him was grim at best; he did indeed have an isolated brain wave that was mimicking the behavior of dementia waves. He had looked at the scans with the doctors, noticing the unnatural patterns and monitoring the changes. What confused the doctors was the strength and randomness of the wave itself, and the fact that they could only find one wave at a time was just as puzzling. Seto knew better than the doctors as to what was going on, for he knew it was a distortion of reality occurring in his mind. But even knowing what he did, he was still in the dark as to how to fix it.

"_Gozaburo fucked with my mind in the virtual reality. I need to see what the effects of this are in the virtual reality and determine whether or not the effects in the real world relate to what happened._" However, he easily remembered his dreams of being tortured, and he was worried over what would happen when he reentered a virtual reality, be it Gozaburo's or his own. There was a chance for serious damage, and Seto knew that going in. So did his brother, who was now pushing the buttons to send him into another reality. He had to give it to the kid; he had the strength of character to do this for Seto. "_At least he knows I have to do this. I don't care what the danger is. I am not letting whatever Gozaburo did to me ruin my life anymore than what he has already done._"

"Okay, Seto… Ready?"

Seto nodded his head and sensed the machine come alive underneath him. He felt his mind be sent forth from his body, and he smiled at the smoothness in transition. He had worked several hours on the machine beforehand, making sure to upgrade it as necessary and verify that it still functioned properly. After all, he hadn't used it since the Big 5 trapped him inside his first virtual game, and he took note of some of the technology used in Noa's world while he was conscious in the realm. The memory chips used by Noa to show Seto and Mokuba their pasts had been quite useful, for it only took Seto a good hour to reconfigure the settings in order to mimic such behavior, which was now necessary for the test he was planning on performing.

It was another few seconds before he saw the first sign of the virtual reality. He had programmed the system to go to wherever it was he envisioned in his mind. Figuring it best to start off easy, he closed his eyes and pictured himself in a large garden filled with white and red flowers. It was a rather random scene, one Seto would never use in a dueling game, but he and his brother both agreed that a peaceful setting would be a good place to start. He began feeling the flowers beneath him, and he slowly smiled and stood up, taking in his surroundings. Deciding to test the new system for good measure, he closed his eyes and envisioned a tall, white marble fountain in front of him, a lion in the middle to represent pride. He opened his eyes and smiled upon seeing the shape form, first appearing as a series of coding before solidifying as an actual object.

"_Bright blue sky. Constantly flowing, white marble fountain. Flowers as far as the eyes can see._" He scoffed; if only reality could be so easy. He went to take a step forward when a sudden flash of something seemed to strike him. He recoiled in shock and asked, "Mokuba, what happened there?"

"What do you mean, Big Bro?" he answered, his voice seemingly coming from the heavens. His brother was staying in the real world in order to control the scenario should anything happen.

"Something… I think I saw something. Did anything appear on the monitors?"

"No. Vital signs are stable."

"What about the brain scan?" Along with a version of Noa's software, he had installed an upgraded machine similar to the one the doctors used on him to monitor his brain waves. He not only wanted vital stats recorded but his brain waves as well. He wanted to know just what his mind was doing in the virtual reality, and scanning it to compare to his previous test results would help him determine what was going on.

"It… It's showing regular signs, but the program isn't fully started."

Nodding his head in understanding, he said, "Okay. I want you to turn it on. No matter what happens, wait for me to tell you when to shut it down. Then pull me out of the program."

"But Seto—"

"Mokuba, please." He knew his brother was uncomfortable with doing this, but it had to be done. He waited until he saw the flowers begin glowing and lightly smirked until he heard a click in the program. It was a brief second before, quite suddenly, a fiery pain like no other began consuming him, and, clutching at his sides, he fell to the ground and screamed in pain. The flowers in front of him evaporated, and for a brief second, Seto thought he was actually in Hell. His body felt like it was on fire, and his eyes widened as the pain spread throughout his entire body. "_What… What the? Where did this come from?_"

"Seto! Seto!" His brother was screaming his name, but Seto was too focused on himself. His breathing became labored. His vision was blurring, and he hardly had the strength to examine his surroundings. It felt like his blood was boiling; he sensed that he was burning alive. Placing a hand on the ground to steady himself, he was surprised to find that it was no longer flowers, but a hard, wooden floor. He looked up and gasped in horror to see the scientist from his visions standing before him, a clean syringe in his hand. He was now in the room he had dreamt of, except he was no longer on a bed. He was on the floor, staring in pain at the man above.

Panting heavily, he went to stand up when he noticed the outline of the scientist morphing. He merely stared in wonder as the man's body began convulsing, his legs and arms twitching here and there. He started taking small steps towards Seto, and his eyes rolled into the back of his head. Sensing danger, Seto went to crawl away from the man when he suddenly felt a shot of pain unlike the heat in his body rush through his arm. He cried out and swiftly rolled up his sleeve to see a dark red line flowing up his arm. "What….What the…?"

"Syringes are sanitized, sir!" the scientist exclaimed, smiling wickedly in his direction. He started chuckling like a madman and reached out in an attempt to grab Seto, his arms coming forward and his fingers clutching at empty air.

"Now Mokuba!" he shouted, feeling himself beginning to black out. "Shut it down now!"

Watching as the scene quickly faded to white, then gray, then black, Seto inhaled a sharp breath of air when he next reopened his eyes to see the screen from the helmet in front of him. He felt the chair begin releasing him, the straps undoing themselves and the head gear receding back into the machine, and he could see Mokuba rushing towards the platform and away from the monitor. Waiting until the glass casing opened, Seto shakily pushed himself up only to fall forward on his hands and knees. "Seto, are you okay?" his brother asked, kneeling down next to him.

Closing his eyes once more, he took in several large breaths of air and tried his best to steady himself. His arms were shaking, and for a brief second, he thought he was going to pass out. He felt his brother's hand on his shoulder and glanced up, offering a weak smile to show that he was fine. His brother smiled in return, and taking in one final large breath of air, Seto pushed himself back and sighed heavily.

"At least we know now what happens," he stated, using the platform of the simulator to help steady himself.

"What was that, Seto?" Mokuba asked.

"_He's probably scared shitless after seeing that,_" Seto thought sullenly as he took a second to gain his balance. Scanning the room, he mentally smiled at knowing he had completed the scan. "It was just a vision, Mokuba," he answered, looking down at his younger brother to see the worry on his face. "It was nothing."

"But it _was_ something, Seto!" he exclaimed, standing directly in front of him. "I saw the whole thing! Who was that guy? And why was he talking about syringes? You were supposed to have control of the settings, yet the machine went ballistic! What happened?"

"Well, hopefully we can find out," he answered, moving to step around the boy. Instead, Mokuba took another step in front of him and held out his arms.

"Seto, was that what you saw in Noa's virtual reality?"

"I…"

"Do you know what Noa did to you?"

"If I did, would—"

"And who was that scientist? Why was he attacking you? How did he—"

"Mokuba!" Seto exclaimed, silencing the boy. "That's why we are doing this! To figure this out!"

"But Seto, you aren't telling me anything! You're just figuring this all out by yourself. I want to know what it is you are seeing. I want to know so that I can be prepared if anything should happen again."

"Mokuba, there's no reason to be worried."

"From what I just saw, I would say there are plenty of reasons to be worried."

Seto suddenly realized that his brother wasn't going to let him go without an explanation. The boy wanted answers, and he knew it well. He just didn't want to upset his younger brother. They had already been through so much, and telling him the truth would inevitably scare him. But it was what the boy wanted, and Seto recognized that it was not his choice to make. Sighing in frustration, he leaned down on one knee and looked straight at his brother, something he rarely did these days. "I… I don't know what that was, Mokuba," he began, his voice softer than usual. "Honestly, I don't know. I… I've been seeing these scenes in my dreams, where Gozaburo and that scientist have me tied to a bed. They… They inject me with these syringes filled with a clear liquid. At least, I think it's translucent. Maybe not. I don't know what the liquid is, but I black out whenever they inject me. They talk a little bit, but it's hard to make out, and whatever it is they are discussing is confusing to me."

"Is that what scared you the night I saw you in the bathroom?"

Seto's eyes widened before he shook his head. "No… No, that was…" Seeing the fear in his brother's eyes, he clenched his fists and looked away. "This is why I don't like telling you these things. I can tell you are scared right now, and I don't like scaring you."

"Seto, I know you don't, but if you don't tell me these things now, what will I do if you pass out again? I would rather be scared into knowing what is going on than being in the dark on these things. Really, it's okay. Now no avoiding the question. What scared you in the bathroom?"

He chuckled and returned his attention to him. "Do I sense someone ordering me around?" he taunted, bringing a smile to his brother's face.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, you do."

Seto chuckled before smirking. "Since when did I raise you to be that way?"

"Since you began avoiding my questions."

Well, he fell right into that one. His brother was learning to be quick on his feet; he mentally applauded the boy for learning from him. But he also realized he was stuck saying everything, and this thought caused his smirk to turn into a frown. "Well," he said, "I saw…something weird in the bathroom. The scientist from before… I keep seeing him. I saw him on the blimp while talking to Anzu outside, and I saw him again in the mirror when I was washing my face off. He reached forward, as if to grab me, and every time I see him, he says "Syringes are sanitized, sir." I think he is talking to Gozaburo, but he's looking directly at me every time he says it."

"Is that what scared you when we were drinking tea?"

"Yeah. His voice was louder than usual, and it startled me."

"I don't think 'startle' is quite the right term, Seto."

He chuckled and nodded in agreement.

"So…you're hallucinating these things in the real world?"

"Yeah…"

"Do you think they are side effects of being in the virtual reality?"

"I'm not sure. That's why I wanted to do this test."

Mokuba nodded his head. Taking it as his cue that the interrogation was over, Seto stood and waited as his brother reached forward and hugged him. "Please, Seto, please tell me these things when they happen," he pleaded. "I don't like not knowing what is going on. I'm your brother; I want to protect you as much as you protect me. Got it?"

Nodding his head, he lightly messed with the boy's hair and said, "Now come on. Let's go check on those test results."

"You sure you are feeling okay after that?" Mokuba asked, releasing his grip on Seto.

"Yeah, I feel better now."

"What was that?"

"I don't know. It felt like my body was on fire, and then a sliver of pain shot through my arm. I saw a red line tracing up my skin… I don't know what it was."

"Well…maybe the test will show us what happened."

The two walked over to the computer monitor, and Seto immediately began typing on the keyboard. He saw that the green screen, which displayed the brain waves, was currently empty, indicating no one was in the seat. He clicked through several menus, asking to go back to the original scan, and soon he could see the beginning of his reading on the screen. He then moved to another monitor and began typing in the code which would show what he saw in the virtual reality. It was an early program he used when testing the virtual reality simulator in order to determine the clarity with which participants witnessed what was occurring both in and outside the simulator. He was hoping to make a program in which friends could watch their friends play within the simulator, but he had yet to get it up and running. Now that he was finally back to using it, he was utilizing the system to make sure he wasn't going crazy. Funny how things turn out sometimes.

Setting the two monitors side by side, he pressed play on both of them and watched as he appeared in the garden on the left screen. The brain waves were behaving normally. He saw himself looking around before moving to take a step forward. Seto paused both monitors and saw that there was indeed a very small yet sharp rise in his brain wave, yet it was only for that second.

"You said my vital signs were stable at this second, correct?" he questioned, glancing back at Mokuba.

"Yeah. You were physically okay the whole time, even when you began showing signs of damage."

Pointing at the screen, he said, "That's when I first asked if anything appeared on the monitor. I saw a flash, but I couldn't make out anything. It was only for a split second."

"What could it mean?"

He shook his head and clicked on both monitors in order to continue both recordings. He watched as he waited a few seconds, telling Mokuba to turn on the monitor, and then he saw himself lean forward in pain. Turning to look at the other monitor, his eyes widened as he saw a dramatic increase in his brain waves. They were strong, scattered, almost frantically moving up and down, indicating the quickness of the waves. He saw in the corner of his eye his scenery change to the room with the scientist, yet he tried focusing on the brain waves. They were indeed stronger and faster, and it briefly reminded Seto of the scans the doctors showed him. "_This is like what they showed me on a grand scale,_" he grimly noted. "_I remember when they printed for me the scan from when I was sleeping. There were a few seconds that were like this, but nothing else out of the ordinary. It's as if the virtual reality triggered the effects. Gozaburo must have placed the trigger in my mind while we were in Noa's world… But how is that possible without outside, physical influences?_"

Hearing his brother squirm, he turned to see the scientist's eyes roll into the back of his head. Seto frowned and shut off the monitor, already knowing what was going to happen. He then returned to the right monitor, watching as the brain waves only increased in strength. "_Maybe the slice down my arm was when they began increasing even more?_"

"Seto… What does all of this mean?" Mokuba timidly asked.

"It means that there won't be any testing for my virtual reality anytime soon," he joked, hoping it would put a smile on the boy's face. Instead, Mokuba frowned at him and placed his arms on his hips. Seto smirked and leaned back from the monitors, standing tall. "It proves that Gozaburo has been working extensively on virtual reality technology, meaning he and Noa may have been testing this for quite awhile."

"How?"

"Gozaburo was in the virtual reality with us, and his simulator may be in Noa's technological fortress."

"But Seto, the fortress was set to self-destruct mode the second we got out. There's no way he could have survived." Seto's eyes widened. He hadn't been told that bit of information. "Besides, how would Gozaburo know how to do such a thing in the virtual reality? He would have had to have somebody in the real world, wouldn't he?"

Nodding his head in agreement, Seto looked at both monitors once more before turning them off. "I think it's time to double-check the previous records of KaibaCorp," he stated. "There may be a testing facility where this was occurring outside of Noa's fortress."

"You really think so?"

"You said it yourself; there is no way Gozaburo would have been able to do this all by himself, and even I saw that Noa was being used as a pawn for his schemes. Noa contributed little to nothing to this whole catastrophe. This was all Gozaburo's doing. And I'm sure he had some old followers helping him when he first sent himself into the virtual reality. They may still be working for him without knowing he is gone."

"But how would he have been in the virtual reality if his body is somewhere else? Could there have been a wireless connection?"

A wireless connection was possible, but unlikely. It would require far too much advancement. Even Seto couldn't make a wireless connection with two virtual reality simulators. "Whatever the case may be, I'm still going to do some research and see where it leads," he stated, biting his lower lip as he did so. He hated looking into past records of KaibaCorp. All of it was either war reports, number of deaths in battles, or blueprints for war technology. He hated it and wished he had the authority to burn it all. Technically he did, but he had kept it all intake, knowing someday someone would ask for it. Now he surprisingly needed it.

"Do you really think you'll find something to help you, Seto?"

"Who knows, but I can't just sit here and do nothing. If there's a chance someone is in the real world who has or had connections to Gozaburo, then there may be a cure. Besides, Anzu mentioned the biological weapons. I never thought to check for such a thing in the records. There may be a testing facility that Gozaburo created in order to use and manufacture such weapons."

"I suppose…"

Smiling down at his younger brother, he said, "Don't worry, Mokuba. We'll figure this out."

Mokuba smiled back up at him. "I hope so." The two then split up in order to turn off the simulator and monitors, making sure everything was set back to normal, before turning out the lights and exiting the testing room.


	8. CH 8 : Battle Plan

_Author's Note: Just for the record, this island is completely made up, and if there is an island similar to this, I apologize to its inhabitants for creating such an island for a fictional story without first consulting them.

* * *

_

Chapter 8 : Battle Plan

Rubbing his eyes, Seto sighed heavily before glancing over at the alarm clock on his wooden nightstand. It read 2:00, and by the height of the moon and the strength of the stars in the sky, he realized to his great displeasure that he had, yet again, stayed up past his desired bedtime. He glanced back at his computer and frowned before maximizing the desired screen.

He had spent the entire day researching into the numerous facilities Gozaburo had used during his control of KaibaCorp. He had searched the term 'biological weapons' and was astounded to find nearly a dozen locations and facilities that were in use at the time for conducting such research. He even remembered visiting some of them on business trips with his adopted father, though his ignorance as to what they were testing came second to his image. He had been forced to visit the facilities with the bastard often, making it appear as though he was interested in carrying on the legacy of machinery and weapons. It didn't matter whether or not he knew what it was they were researching; all that mattered was that he oversaw the research. How shocked the world had been when the second Gozaburo fell out of his tall tower, Seto trashed every tank and missile developed and turned his attention to a child's trading card game. Oh, how the mighty fell there.

One facility in particular had caught Seto's attention, and it was the one he was currently viewing. The facility had been the first registered under 'biological weapons,' but finding it through the archives had been difficult. All the facilities listed were closed once Seto took over, yet this facility, named ReGEN05, was nowhere to be found in the closed databases. It was as if the facility had never been properly shut down, and the fact that Seto couldn't remember reading the name of the facility added to the probability that it had merely been forgotten. What was disturbing was that the most recent report coming from ReGEN05 was listed as having been written two months after Gozaburo's death. Seto didn't write the report, so who had?

That and many other questions had led Seto to where he was now, sitting in front of the computer at 2:00 in the morning. He stared at the image of the facility and frowned. It didn't look like a facility. In fact, it looked like someone's mansion. There was a helicopter pad located near the coast, along with a small port with a ship or two docked, and Seto could barely make out a pathway leading up to a wide, one-story house. He had never seen such a building before, and the fact that it appeared to be a home rather than a testing facility meant that there was a high probability it worked under the radar. The coordinates and location of the facility were listed along the right side of the screen, and Seto read that it was surprisingly close by, just fifty or so miles off the coast of Okinawa.

Pulling up another menu, he scrolled through the findings at ReGEN05 and was discouraged by the lack of information. Most of it was copied onto the server, and Seto growled at the amount of black marker that had been used to cover key information. It felt like he was reading some sort of government paper, not a report on a testing facility. What he could read, however, disturbed him. There were reports of scientists from other testing facilities moving to ReGEN05, being ordered by Gozaburo to work on a project whose name was covered in black. Seto even recognized some of the scientists, having fired them shortly after taking over KaibaCorp. The dates and names didn't seem to add up, however, and the fact that a majority of the information was blackened out signified that something secret had occurred.

Seto leaned back in his chair and stared at the monitor. He couldn't believe what his mind was proposing, but it seemed as though it was the only possible choice he had. All the other facilities came up as negative, either having been destroyed or bought by other companies to be used for various purposes. This was the only facility that appeared untouched by Seto's control, and the fact that it appeared under biological weapons was a sign that, in Seto's mind, it was connected to what was currently happening. There had to be an outsider involved, someone in the real world who had helped Gozaburo do whatever it was he committed in the virtual reality, and from the archives Seto had, this was his best shot.

But investigating the mansion was one thing. What his mind was proposing was something else. He wanted to actually travel to the island, seeing if there was anything there related to what was occurring in his mind. He wasn't naïve enough to believe a cure was waiting for him on this island, but he had to do something, and from the limited options he had, he felt that visiting this island would help him gain some insight into his condition. After all, everything about this facility was suspicious. Even if it had nothing to do with Seto's condition, he still wanted to know what the hell was going on.

Feeling a headache starting to form, he placed a hand on his forehead and sighed. "_I can't just leave the company alone, but if I am going to fix this thing, I need to do something. This island… There's something to it, something disturbing about it. I've never heard of ReGEN05, and Gozaburo never told me about biological weapons testing. Maybe this is where they were testing the virtual reality material? It's a long shot, but it's possible. And all these scientists moving from their originally designated zones to ReGEN05 can't be a coincidence. Anzu said Gozaburo told them that he had been testing biological weapons before I took over, and every scientist working in a designated biological testing facility moved here. After that, all traces of them vanish. There has to be a connection…or do I just want to believe there is a connection?_"

He closed his eyes and shook his head before looking back at the clock. "_2:10. I need to go to bed soon, but I want to figure out what I want to do. I can leave for this island sometime this weekend… Sunday would be best since it's my only free day. Today is Thursday. That will give me about three days to prepare for the trip. I can leave Sunday morning and should be able to arrive by noon. I don't work long on Sundays anyway, and I hope Mokuba won't mind if I take our free day to figure out what is affecting my head. I can then investigate for the day, seeing if there is anything of importance, before leaving by dinner. If I find anything of relevance, I can plan from there. That way it will only be a day. Mokuba will be fine… Or maybe not._"

He growled in frustration. He hated leaving his little brother alone at home despite the fact that they had the best security in Japan next to the government. It was just the idea that, after all they had been through, leaving his brother alone seemed counterproductive. "_Maybe I could hire a babysitter or something. Or maybe Roland can look after him for the day._" But then again, he didn't want to be going to this island by himself. Taking Mokuba was out of the question; he had no idea what to expect going to this place. "_For all I know, it has fallen apart and is being excavated by an American team. I can't endanger Mokuba over this, but putting myself in danger is just as bad. I'll have to bring some of my guards from KaibaCorp along just to make sure, should anything happen, I will be able to escape safely._"

But that still left Mokuba alone. "_He has plenty of friends. Maybe he can go to a friend's house that day? Or, better yet, maybe one of his friends can come over and keep him company while I am gone. But his friends are mostly his age. I want someone older taking care of him, someone who can handle the boy in case anything were to happen…_"

His eyes widened in surprise. The first name to strike him sent a shiver down his spine. "_Do I really need her to be brought into this mess…?_" Yet it surprisingly made a good bit of sense. She was older and much more mature than the rest of the group. Sighing, he glanced towards the clock once more before turning off his computer for the rest of the night. "_I'll think about it… After all, she's been helpful in taking care of Mokuba so far, and she has an idea of what is happening to me. Maybe she's somehow the best person to take of Mokuba in my absence…_"

* * *

"Oh my God, that's like the twentieth time!"

Jounouchi slammed the controller onto the table, causing the rest of the group to jump. "If you aren't going to behave like an adult," Anzu scolded, "then I'm playing!" She leaned forward and swiped the controller before the blonde could take it back, smirking as they returned to the **Choose Character** screen. It was around lunchtime, and she and the boys were at Yugi's house playing multiplayer games. She had yet to touch the controller all morning due to Tristan and Jounouchi's constant bickering. Yugi chuckled as Jounouchi reached for the controller, which Anzu hid behind her so that it was between her and the couch.

"Argh, come on, Anzu!" he pleaded. "One more round!"

"You've had plenty of rounds, Jounouchi," Duke remarked. "Let the girl have her turn."

Jounouchi growled and crossed his arms over his chest but refused to speak further. She smirked victoriously and went to choose what character she wanted to play as when a sudden noise caught the group's attention. She frowned as she leaned forward and grabbed her purse off the beige carpet, taking her cell phone out and glancing at the number. Recognizing it to be Mokuba's number, she smiled and answered it, saying, "Hello, this is Anzu."

"Good day, Mazaki."

The voice startled her, and for a brief second she forgot about the controller. Jounouchi picked up on her sudden focus, and he snatched the controller out of her lap, saying, "If she's busy right now, then I'm goin' another round!"

"Is that the dog barking in the background?"

Her eyebrows knit in confusion. "What are you calling me about, Kaiba?" The room became silent the second she said his name. All eyes turned to her, and she felt a blush rush to her cheeks despite the fact that she herself was clueless as to why the CEO was calling her.

"I simply wanted to ask a favor from you. I assure you that you will be compensated."

"A…favor?" Since when was Seto Kaiba one to ask favors? And from her no less? "_Does this have to do with his condition?_"

"I may have found a way of curing whatever it is that Gozaburo did to me," he began explaining. "However, in order to investigate, I need to leave the mansion for a day, maybe two. I am planning on leaving Sunday morning and hope to be back by Sunday evening. This leaves a full day in which Mokuba will have no one in the mansion to take care of him. Despite the fact that he is old enough to take care of himself, I am someone who likes to take every measure in making sure my family is safe. Therefore, I would like to ask if it would be all right if you came over and took care of him. As I said, I will pay you accordingly if you do this for me."

For a brief second, she was stunned by what she had just heard. She didn't know what to say. "_Seto Kaiba is trusting me to take care of his younger brother? Does he have so few allies and guards left that I'm his only option, or am I the only one he trusts now that he has this head trauma to deal with?_" Realizing she had been quiet a bit longer than necessary, she said, "Sunday, you said? I don't think I have any plans Sunday… What time should I be over?"

If the group hadn't been paying attention before, they were clinging to her every word now. Their eyes were wider than saucers, and she suddenly wanted to glare at them for their intrusion.

"I know it is a bit early, but would 9:00 be all right?"

"9:00? That…sounds good."

"I appreciate it. I will be sure to show you around once you come over. Don't want you getting lost in my house, do we Mazaki?"

He chuckled at his comment, and despite its obvious condescendence, Anzu realized it was a rather nice thing for him to do. After all, he did own one of the largest mansions in Japan. And the fact that he was calling her to do this for him in the first place showed a bit of trust, didn't it?

"Right. 9:00 Sunday morning. I'll be there."

"Thanks."

The line went dead, and Anzu slowly turned her cell phone off and placed it back in her purse before setting the purse on the floor in front of the couch. The only sound heard in the room was the video game, which sounded highly out of place given the sudden tension in the room. Jounouchi, like always, was the first one to speak. "The hell was that about?"

"He wants me to come over Sunday to babysit Mokuba," she answered. "Apparently he's going somewhere and wants someone to be there with Mokuba while he's away."

"How is he doing after the whole virtual reality incident?" Duke inquired, leaning forward in his chair slightly. "You haven't said anything about him other than the fact that he went to the hospital that one day."

"Yeah… I don't know how he is doing now, but he thinks he may have found something to fix it. I don't know where or how he found it, but he said it may take him a day or two to investigate."

"Wait, he's leaving to go and investigate this?" Yugi asked. "If you're taking care of Mokuba, then who is going with him?"

Her eyes widened; she hadn't thought of that.

"Is Kaiba really in a position to be leaving the mansion by himself?" Jounouchi asked. "I mean, we don't really know what's goin' on in that head of his, but if there's somethin' seriously wrong, he probably shouldn't be going off somewhere without someone supervising him, right?"

"I'm sure he'll have his guards there to help him," Tristan remarked.

"But do they know of his condition?" Yugi countered.

"What exactly _is _his condition?" Duke asked. "It was never really explained to us given how much of a social butterfly Kaiba is."

"Gozaburo did something to his brain waves in the virtual reality," Anzu answered. "I think it's making him see and hear things that aren't there. He seems fully aware of it occurring, but when I went to visit him in the hospital, Mokuba said he fell unconscious. Apparently the strength of the brain waves changes from very weak to very strong. The doctors were baffled as to what was happening, but I think Kaiba knows more than anyone what's going on in his head."

"Well, I suppose if he knows what he is doing…"

"I'd double-check to make sure someone is tagging along with him," Yugi stated. "If he has no one going along, you can ask to go with him. One of us can easily watch over Mokuba."

"Oh yeah, Kaiba will _definitely_ ask for one of us to tag along with him," Tristan sarcastically retorted. "Maybe he'll send us a Christmas card while we're at it."

"I'll be sure to check it out," Anzu stated. "I'm sure Mokuba will make sure someone goes with him."

The group nodded in agreement, and soon their attention returned to the video game at hand. But Anzu secretly worried over what Kaiba meant by the phone call. "_If he is truly leaving behind his brother in order to find a cure…does that mean things have only gotten worse for him?_"


	9. CH 9 : Unexpected Partner

_Author's Note: Almost to Chapter 10, folks! Thank you so much for the comments you all have posted; you guys make writing this story worth every effort.

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Chapter 9 : Unexpected Partner

Shivering as a slight breeze passed by, Anzu rang the doorbell and stood on the doorstep of the Kaiba mansion. It was a tall, imposing manor, one that displayed wealth, power, and isolation. It fit Kaiba perfectly, and she briefly pondered over what was to be expected of her. After all, she was sure Kaiba never allowed those he didn't trust into his house, and here she was being asked to babysit Mokuba in his absence. "_Maybe he is appreciative of my support?_" she thought before chuckling to herself. "_More like he feels bad because I have been there every time he has awoken with Mokuba by my side._" It was predictable, but at least she was getting a bit closer to the cold-hearted CEO. She wanted to be his friend, for she knew there had to be a good side to him. "_Perhaps, after this, I will be asked to come over more often?_" Now she was just thinking to think. She forgot that it was Seto Kaiba she was talking about, not an ordinary person. She sighed and waited as she heard footsteps approaching the entrance. The door soon opened to reveal Mokuba Kaiba, who smiled up at her and said, "Anzu! Thanks for coming over!"

The boy stepped out of her way, and Anzu smiled and nodded before entering the main foyer. She did her best to hide her surprise; the entrance alone was large enough to fit a majority of the rooms in her apartment! A beautiful chandelier hung from the ceiling, and a staircase was located near the center, leading up to a balcony which connected to the second floor. A doorway to her right revealed a rather expensive-looking dining room, while the room on her left appeared to be a small den. Past the staircase was an opening which led to a large living room. She could see a television and some furniture in the farthest room, and she briefly wondered how many rooms the two brothers actually used. She could imagine that they didn't utilize the grand dining room quite as much as it was made for.

"How is Kaiba doing?" she asked once Mokuba had closed and locked the door.

"He's doing… I don't know, I guess better," Mokuba answered, walking up next to her. "He has yet to have another attack, but I can tell he is still hearing and seeing things. Sometimes I worry that he is hiding how bad his condition is from me, but hopefully this trip of his will help him out."

"Where is he planning to go?"

"He found an old facility that Gozaburo had used in order to research biological weapons," he explained. "Apparently he found numerous facilities under the term in the archives, but since we were unaware of Gozaburo's studies until now, we never thought to look. Anyways, he found a testing lab on an island that appears to still be in use, at least to a degree. He wants to go and check it out to see if there is anything related to what happened in the virtual reality."

"Does he believe he'll find something?"

"I think so. He seems very determined."

Anzu frowned. There was something wrong with the way he was speaking. She could tell something was bothering him. "But you don't want him to go?" she asked slowly, hoping to approach it the right way. It came out, however, as more of a statement and less of a question.

"It's just…" Mokuba sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "I know he needs to find this cure, but I'm worried about him leaving. I just don't trust this place, whatever it is. It looks innocent enough, but if it is still registered, then there may be people or other things there."

"Does he have someone going with him?"

"He is supposed to have hired a few guards. But still, the guards don't know about his condition, and if anything were to happen to Seto because of it, the guards won't know what to do. I keep telling him this, and he keeps telling me he'll be fine, but I don't know."

It was what she and the gang had feared. "_Once again Kaiba is too damn proud for his own good,_" she thought. "_Why he cannot ask help from someone, especially at a time like this, I will never understand._"

"Well, I am glad to see that someone actually believes in being punctual."

The sound caused her to blink in surprise, and she glanced up to see Seto Kaiba descending the staircase, carrying his silver, metallic briefcase. His appearance caught her off-guard, for he was not dressed in his usual business suit or trenchcoat attire. Instead, he was wearing a pair of black jeans with a dark green t-shirt. His black sneakers squeaked on the clean, wooden flooring. Around his left wrist was a platinum watch, and dangling around his neck was his card necklace. She wondered what card was important enough to carry around at all times; she had yet to see him without it, and yet he couldn't have put one of his Blues Eyes in the carrier. There was no way he would puncture a hole through his favorite card.

Reaching the bottom of the staircase, Kaiba nodded to her and said, "Thank you for taking care of Mokuba today. I didn't feel like going through the process of hiring a babysitter, and you seem mature enough to take care of him for the day."

"It's not a problem, Kaiba," she answered. "I don't mind doing this for you two."

Kaiba scoffed at her and rounded the corner, heading towards the room at the end of the hallway. Anzu and Mokuba followed and soon entered a large living room with more than enough entertainment system equipment to occupy a houseful of children. "This is the main living room, as you can see," Kaiba stated. "Bathrooms are to the left here, down that little hallway. I take it you saw the dining room on the way in?" When she nodded yes, he said, "Past there is the kitchen. There's enough food in there for the two of you. My phone number as well as several others are listed just in case anything should happen." He said this last part coldly, and Anzu interpreted it as meaning that nothing _should_ happen to require such a call. "Upstairs is the bedrooms and offices, which you two are not allowed to enter." He glanced back at Mokuba, who blushed slightly at the remark. "That means no rummaging through my things," he added, smirking down at his younger brother. Anzu chuckled; apparently that was a bit of a problem. "And that is about it. Any questions?"

"Yes. Are you doing any better since the hospital event?"

Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Yes, Mazaki, I'm doing better, else I would not be traveling to this island by myself."

"Seto, isn't Roland going with you?" Mokuba exclaimed, taking a step forward in surprise. Anzu's eyes widened as well.

"No. I have decided he is staying here with the two of you. Should anything happen, you can ask him for help."

"But Seto, Anzu is staying with me! You need the protection more than I do!"

"This facility hasn't been used since Gozaburo was in charge. It's probably a deserted, dusty, old mansion by now. There is nothing to worry about."

"Seto…" Mokuba sighed in defeat, causing Anzu to frown.

"Kaiba, you really need to look at this situation realistically," she scolded, causing his eyes to widen slightly. "You are having mental problems, and while I am not judging you on that since I know you had no say in the matter, the way you are handling this is rather poor. What if something were to happen to you? What if you had another attack or if something went wrong in this testing facility? All sorts of things could happen, and you're just going to up and leave without someone to protect you?"

"Mazaki, I really do not understand how this is your concern," he remarked in a cold manner. "Besides, you act as though I have never taken a defense course in my life. I know how to handle myself."

"It's my concern because I am worried about you!" she exclaimed. "I know, it's a shocker that someone other than Mokuba cares about you, but honestly, I don't want to see you fall unconscious again! And it doesn't matter how many defensive courses you've taken. If your brain waves lose control again, you won't know how to defend yourself!"

"Mazaki, I have already agreed with Mokuba that I will call every hour to verify that I am safe," he replied. "I will not technically be alone on this trip. I will have him and you to call."

"But what if you don't call? What if something happens and there is no one there to help you?"

"Nothing will happen that—"

"You don't know that for sure, Kaiba!" she interrupted. "You cannot predict the future. Something _can_ happen, and if does, then what?"

Kaiba stared coldly at her as he released a heavy sigh, seemingly contemplating what it was he wanted to say to her. Anzu briefly noticed that Mokuba had since left the room, and she wondered where he had run off to. Kaiba seemed to notice it as well, for his eyes widened before he bit his lower lip. "Look, I am going to be honest with you," he stated, his voice dropping in volume. The change startled her considerably. "I don't like the idea of going to this island either. But I have to go. You know my head is fucking with me right now, and if there is any way that I can find a cure, I am going to do whatever it takes. But I don't know what to expect on this island, and I cannot bring Mokuba along. And as for the guards, I can't let anyone from the company know what is happening to me. If anyone were to report that my behavior is abnormal, people would be quick to bring me down. I _can't_ have that happen at any cost. I don't like this situation anymore than either of you, but it is my only option at this point."

"But Kaiba, that doesn't make it right."

"It doesn't matter if it is right or not. What matters is that I get this cure. I cannot stand having this…whatever it is affecting me. No matter what it takes, I am going to fix this problem."

"You can't bring _one_ person along, just for your protection?"

"The only person I trust is Mokuba, and I can't afford to have anything happen to him."

"So you risk your own skin for this? How do you think Mouba feels about this?"

The sound of footsteps attracted the two's attention, and both turned to see Mokuba reenter the room, phone in hand. He sighed and stared at Kaiba with a look of determination. He then turned to her and asked, "Anzu, you don't mind riding a boat, do you?"

The question puzzled her, and her eyebrows knit together as Kaiba turned to face his younger brother. "Mokuba, what are you—"

"Jounouchi and Yugi are coming over to the mansion to take care of me," he interrupted, returning his gaze to his brother. "They said they will be here in ten minutes, and that they are free all day and available tonight should anything happen. Since you don't trust anyone to go with you, I want Anzu to go to make sure nothing happens."

Anzu's eyes widened as Kaiba took a step back in shock. "Mokuba, what is the meaning of this?" he exclaimed. "You cannot just force this onto people!"

"Seto, I am not letting you go to that island unless someone is there who knows about your condition!" Mokuba fought back. "You don't know what could happen, and I don't know what could happen! Anzu knows what is wrong, and if you were willing to trust me in her care, then you obviously trust her to a degree. She can go with you and make sure nothing happens. If you get hurt, then she will be there to help you out. I'm not letting you go alone!"

"Mokuba, you cannot just—"

"And if nothing happens, as you think is the case, then there will be no harm, right?"

"Mokuba…" Kaiba sighed and stared at his younger brother with an almost hurt expression. Anzu wondered how it felt to be put into such a situation. He had just been outsmarted by his younger brother, and from the information he had just provided, he knew his little brother was right.

"I… I mean, I really don't mind if I am allowed to tag along, but I…" Not knowing what to say, she approached the CEO and smiled. "Honestly, if it is all right with you, I do not mind coming along. After all, he has a good point. If nothing happens, then no harm, no foul, right?"

He glanced over at her with a worried expression. Staring directly into her eyes, he said, "You do realize that this will be a whole day affair, and that I am not liable should anything happen to you? If you get hurt, I will help you out, however you cannot blame me should something go wrong. I don't know what to expect there, and if anything were to happen, you are responsible for yourself. Is that clear?"

"I want to see you get better just as much as you do," she answered. "If there is any way I can help, I'll do what I can."

"Right, so she is going with you," Mokuba chimed in. "Yugi and Jounouchi can come over and take care of me. We will have the phone set up so that you can call every hour to tell us you and Anzu are okay. Just so long as someone goes with you, Seto, I don't care."

Kaiba shook his head before returning his attention to Mokuba. "Sometimes, Mokuba, I think I taught you too well," he muttered, walking up to the boy and messing with his hair. Leaning down, he said, "Be sure to inform Yugi and the mutt that they are to follow house rules, and remind them that if I find anything broken or dirty, they will face severe consequences."

Mokuba smiled and nodded his head. "We'll probably just stay in here and play video games," he replied. "Just be sure to come back safe, okay?"

Kaiba nodded. Mokuba reached out to give his brother a hug, and Anzu watched as Kaiba returned it. She smiled at the simple gesture; it seemed to be the only move in which the CEO's defenses dropped. It was only when he was hugging his brother that she ever saw a smile cross his lips.

After a few seconds, the two brothers released their hold on each other, and Kaiba stood before clearing his throat. Turning, he briefly looked Anzu over before saying, "Are you going to be comfortably walking around in those clothes?"

She briefly glanced down at her attire and nodded yes. She was wearing a pair of tan shorts along with a yellow t-shirt and brown sneakers. She hadn't known whether to dress up or not for the position of Mokuba Kaiba's babysitter, and she was happy to have followed her intuition which told her no.

"Good. Then let's get going. I want to be there by noon, and we have already wasted enough time. Mokuba, if Yugi and Jounouchi don't come in ten minutes, call me and I will return home. You are _not_ staying home by yourself, even if Roland is stationed here. Understood?"

Mokuba nodded his head and stepped aside for the two to reenter the main foyer. "Good luck, Big Brother!" he shouted down the hallway, and Anzu noticed the slight hint of a smile cross Kaiba's lips before it vanished just as quickly. The two exited the mansion and approached a sleek, dark blue car that Anzu could only see on commercials for the rich and famous. Kaiba tossed the briefcase into the backseat of the car before sliding into the driver's seat. Anzu sat down in the passenger's seat, and soon the two were driving down the long driveway of the Kaiba Manor and off to their destination.


	10. CH 10 : Welcome to ReGEN05

_Author's Note: Woot! Chapter 10, and we are on ze island! Who else is excited?... Anyways, just as a warning, I know nothing of boats, so the statistics for the boat in the beginning are completely made up. Hope you enjoy!

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Chapter 10 : Welcome to ReGEN05

She had been surprisingly quiet during the journey to ReGEN05, and they only had a good ten to fifteen minutes left before their arrival. At first, he worried over her constant talking and questioning, as he knew that sooner or later she would remark on his position as captain of their small vessel. It was a white, medium-sized cruiser, big enough to hold maybe ten or so people, with a small deck above the main room, where Anzu sat in a chair and stared out at the water the entire ride. But now that they were almost to their destination, he thought he may have given her too little credit. "_She has been quiet this whole time, and she offered to come with me to a deserted island,_" he thought to himself. "_I guess 'offer' isn't exactly the correct term, but she could have said no to Mokuba's forced cooperation, yet she didn't. Does she honestly care about me so much as to want to come along? I can think of no other reason for her to get involved in this, but I have never met someone who thinks in such a way. All businessmen do is care about themselves, and while I protect Mokuba, I admit I am not much better. But she… She seems to genuinely care for my safety._"

Sighing in contemplation, he squint his eyes and leaned forward to see the traces of the island in the distance. He smirked and set the boat to automatic, setting the course straight and speed at nearly 30 mph, before turning and climbing the steel ladder leading up to the deck. He reached the top and straightened himself out before turning to see Anzu sitting in a white chair, staring off towards the direction of the island. "We are almost there," he stated, smirking when she jumped and spun around to look at him. "Just thought you should know."

She smiled and nodded her head before returning her attention to the sea. Seto frowned. He knew he should be kind to her, but… Swallowing the lump in his throat, he took a seat in the white chair next to her and leaned forward, placing his arms on the steel railing that surrounded the deck. "Do you have any questions before we arrive?" he asked slowly, turning to stare at her.

"What…do you think you will find here?" she asked, returning her attention to him.

"I don't know," he answered. "But Mokuba made a very good point. There was no way Gozaburo could have designed an entire virtual reality and created a biological weapon on his own, and there is a very slim chance of everything it took to create such things happening in the virtual reality. I hope that I can find a clue as to how he got his hands on virtual reality technology and maybe determine what this biological testing included. I don't think I will find a cure on this island, but any clue as to where I can find one will be appreciated."

She nodded her head once more. "What is the island called?"

"I don't know the island's name, but I do know the facility is marked as being 'ReGEN05.'"

"What kind of a name is that?" she asked, chuckling slightly.

"Not sure." He glimpsed over to see that they were swiftly approaching the island. He could now make out the port, which luckily appeared to have empty spaces where they could keep the boat.

"What kind of testing was occurring here?"

"I don't know the specifics. Most of the records kept on this place had more than a few blotches of black marker. Whatever it was, they were determined to erase it from existence."

"Hmmm…"

Glancing down at his watch, he said, "I suppose I should call Mokuba now. It's been almost an hour." He stood from his seat and said, "Once we land, we will head straight for the mansion. I want to be in and out of there, okay?"

She smiled and nodded enthusiastically, and he couldn't help but smirk at her before dropping down to the room below. "_For someone who has nothing to gain from this, she sure seems happy to help. I suppose I should be grateful for her company. After all, I have no idea what to expect from this place. Knowing Gozaburo, there may be a few traps in the facility to keep outsiders away._" Taking his cell phone out of his pocket, Seto clicked the speed dial for Mokuba's number and set the phone to his ear, watching as the port became clearer and clearer. He guessed they would land in another five or so minutes.

"Hello, this is Mokuba Kaiba," Mokuba greeted in his usual, cheery voice. Seto allowed a smile to cross his lips at hearing his younger brother's voice.

"Mokuba, it's me," he replied.

"Seto! How is everything going?"

"It's fine. We will be landing soon."

"You have any problems on the ride over?"

"No, surprisingly not."

"That's good."

"How are Yugi and the dog doing? They haven't trashed the house yet, have they?"

Mokuba chuckled. "No, no Seto, we're just sitting and playing video games. Nothing to worry about."

"Good. We are going to get off soon and head to the mansion. I'll call you in another hour or so to let you know how we are doing."

"Okay. Be careful, Big Bro!"

"I will." Hanging up the phone, he sighed and placed it back into his pocket before steering the ship slightly to the left. They were quickly approaching the port now, and Seto began picking out where he wanted to land the ship when he heard footsteps descending the ladder. He turned to see Anzu jump down the ladder and smile towards him.

"How are Mokuba and the gang doing?"

"Fine," he answered.

"I know you don't like Yugi and Jounouchi, but don't worry. He is in good hands."

Ignoring her comment, Seto focused on the matter at hand. Slowing the ship down considerably, he turned off the automatic steering and began to carefully steer the boat toward the dock. The dock itself was a small yet wide cement pathway, and as he began driving it along the edge of the port, he brought the ship almost to a halt before sharply turning the wheel. The boat turned sideways, and Seto drove the boat forward, acting as though he was parallel parking the boat next to the dock. He waited until he could see the small port directly beside the boat before stopping and turning off the ignition, placing the keys into his pocket.

"You sure seem to know how to ride this thing," Anzu noted, going outside to hop onto the cement port.

"Mokuba and I sometimes take boat rides when we are having a rough week," he stated, though he was unsure as to why when it was none of her business. "It helps us get away from reality, at least for a little bit."

"I'm surprised the media hasn't caught you doing it yet."

"Oh please, we aren't that foolish. We always make sure to go someplace that no one would think to find us."

"That makes sense."

Walking outside, he carefully stepped over the small break between the boat and the port before taking in his surroundings. Unlike Pegasus's island, which had been covered in trees and forests, this island seemed to be all grass with a few large boulders sprouting up here and there. The island rose as the land approached the center, and near the top of the hill could be seen the mansion. Seto noticed the dirt pathway leading towards it and nodded to Anzu, asking, "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"You think or you know?"

Smirking, she stated, "I'm ready when you are."

He began following the trail, his sneakers crunching against the stones that constituted the pathway. "When was this facility built?" Anzu suddenly asked as they began walking towards their destination.

"I believe it was built a year before I took over," he answered.

"So that would be…?"

"Several years now."

"You think the mansion will be in good condition?"

"Hard to say. It depends on whether or not people have been using it under the radar."

"You think there are still people working here?"

"The last report filed was recorded two months after I took over. I don't know what that means, but there may be one or two people left taking care of the place."

"And if we run into them?"

"I will state who I am. After all, this island is technically under my control now. I plan on officially shutting this place down once we are done with this investigation, so they will have to find another place to stay whether they like it or not."

"I see…"

The two slowly made their way towards the mansion, the path becoming steeper and steeper as they approached. As they became closer, Seto began to take note of the mansion itself. The picture had made it appear much larger than it really was. It was only one-story, just as he suspected, but there seemed to be only a few rooms constituting the length of the building. A total of five windows lined the wall facing them, two to the right of the double doors that served as the entrance and three on the left. The building was made of brick, and the roof was low and made of brown shingles. It looked like a deserted home, not a testing facility. "_How could they have tested something in such a small place?_" Seto wondered as they reached the entrance doors.

"Should we knock?" Anzu asked, staring curiously through the windows.

Seto chuckled. "I don't think there is a need for that." Opening the door on the right, he ignored the creaking noise as well as his surprise to find that the mansion was indeed unlocked and took a few steps forward, frowning in disgust at what he saw. The brown carpet was stained and worn away, as was the yellowed wallpaper. Dusty pieces of wooden furniture were scattered along the walls, and several portraits of Gozaburo and other scientists were becoming old and gray. The chandelier hanging from the ceiling, meant to illuminate the small foyer, was on its last chain and looked as though it was ready to collapse. There was a musky smell in the air, and as Seto began taking steps forward, he could see dust particles hovering in the light coming through one of the windows.

"This place looks ancient," Anzu noted as she closed the door behind them. "You sure it's only a few years old?"

"Gozaburo must not have taken care of this place when he was in charge," he remarked, slowly moving in a circle to take in his surroundings. There were two hallways; the one on the left continued past several doorways before making a sharp right-hand turn, while the hallway to his right led past a small room, perhaps a bathroom or large closet, into a den. Anzu slowly approached the entrance to the den and peeked inside.

"Not much in here, I suppose," she answered.

"What do you see?" he asked as he began walking down the hallway. Another portrait of Gozaburo hung by a loose nail, and he instinctively growled at it before passing it.

"Just some empty bookshelves and two couches. God, whoever designed this place had bad taste."

"A military genius doesn't have time for—" A sudden flash cut off his thoughts, and he groaned in pain as a swift shock seemed to go through his head.

"Kaiba?"

Closing his eyes, he pressed a hand against the wall to his left, fortunately missing the window, and tried his best to control the sudden aching in his head. A brief blur of the scientist from his dreams crossed his mental vision, and he could clearly see several syringes lined against the wall, syringes he hadn't noticed before. The vision, despite its vividness, disappeared almost as quickly as it came, and in a few seconds Seto was staring at the brown carpet.

"Kaiba, are you okay?"

Taking in an unsteady breath of air, he slowly released it and waited for the headache to subside. He listened as Anzu came rushing towards him and shuddered as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Kaiba, what's wrong?" she asked, her voice low and shaky.

"N-Nothing," he answered. "Nothing, just…just a headache."

"Are you seeing something?"

"No, not really. I mean, I saw something, but it…" Removing his hand from the wall, he shook his head and said, "I'll be fine. It's gone now."

"Kaiba…" He turned to see her worried expression and frowned.

"Look, I will be fine," he answered. "This is why we are here, to fix this. Don't worry about me. Let's just look around and see if we can—"

"Who is out there?"

The voice caused his eyes to widen in surprise, and the two turned to see a woman walking towards the entrance doorway. She was wearing a white labcoat with gray pants and a white shirt. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and, to Seto, she looked American. She turned and gasped at the sight of the two before putting her hand in one of her lab pockets.

"What are you two doing here?" she demanded, glaring maliciously at them.

"I should ask the same of you," Seto answered, taking a step forward and ignoring the dull pain in his head. "What are you doing here?"

"I asked first."

Seto scoffed and rolled his eyes. "I don't know if you are aware of me, but I am Seto Kaiba. This is my island, so I suggest you tell me—"

"Seto?" The woman looked at him with an incredulous look before slowly taking her hand out of her pocket. He growled as Anzu gasped in terror, for she pulled out what appeared to be a small handgun and aimed it towards them.

"What do you think you are doing?" Seto questioned, his body instinctively moving in front of Anzu. "I don't know if you heard me, but this is my island now, and I demand to know what is going on here."

"I have orders that, should you come here to investigate us, you are to be taken into custody," she answered in a low voice. "But I can't have you dying. Not yet." Placing her hand inside another one of the coat pockets, she pulled out a small cell phone and pressed a button. To their surprise, the shutters to the windows closed, and the chandelier turned a bright red color. She then fired her weapon towards the two, barely missing Seto in the shoulder.

"Shit, let's go!" he yelled, turning and pushing Anzu forward, who was already running a few paces in front of him. The two rounded the sharp corner and continued running down a long, narrow hallway, ignoring the gunshots behind them.

"Who the hell is that woman?" Anzu shouted back to him.

"How should I know?" he answered, doing his best to see in the sudden darkness for any exits. All he could see was a doorway at the end, and he figured it was their best bet at losing the crazed worker. They rushed forward, slamming on the doors in an attempt to open it, when Anzu pointed towards a button nearby. Seto frowned at noticing the direction of the button. "_Down? Is this an elevator, and if so, does that mean this facility is…underground?_"

Pressing the button, the doors to the elevator quickly opened, and as the two entered the compartment, Seto could see the woman jogging towards them, the handgun swinging in her hand. He slammed one of the buttons, watching as the doors slowly closed shut on the woman. The two backed into the metallic walls, and he watched as Anzu released a long sigh. The only sound they could hear was their own panting, which was labored and heavy. She glanced over at him and asked, "Were…were you hit?"

"No, I'm fine," he answered. "How about you?"

"I-I'm good. Just…just freaked out."

He nodded in agreement and turned to examine the board of buttons. There appeared to be at least ten levels, all of them beneath ground level. "I suppose there really is a facility here," he whispered, staring in wonder at the buttons. "It appears to go rather deep…"

"What are we going to do? I don't want to go back out there where that woman is."

He shook his head and went to speak when a sudden noise interrupted his thoughts. A red light began illuminating the compartment, and a woman's voice over the intercom began stating "Warning! Warning! Intruder alert! Intruder alert!"

"Shit!" Kaiba shouted as Anzu swiftly backed into a corner, staring in horror at the intercom located in the ceiling of the elevator. He went to press one of the many buttons when a hissing noise caught his attention. He looked up in shock to see a green gas quickly entering the elevator.

"Kaiba! Kaiba!" Anzu began coughing violently, and he cursed as he himself felt the gas entering his system. He began slamming all of the buttons, hoping to open the doors of the elevator to release the gas, but he realized that the elevator was on emergency settings. He turned and saw Anzu falling down, her eyes rolling to the back of her head, and he rushed forward only to trip and stumble towards her. Grasping onto her arms, he pulled her close to him as he felt himself slipping in and out. Coughing harshly, he slowly slid to the ground, Anzu still in his arms, and he felt himself hit the cold, metallic floor before falling unconscious.


	11. CH 11 : Anzu's Escape

_Author's Note: Alrighty, chapter eleven! Sorry this one took a bit longer than necessary to post. I'll try to update sooner next time around. Hope you enjoy!

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Chapter 11 : Anzu's Escape

She groaned as feeling began returning her body, the sensations dulled at first but returning nonetheless. Opening her eyes, she waited several seconds as the blurry edges began to disappear before attempting to take in her surroundings. She slowly looked up to see a bright, fluorescent light illuminating the room she was in. There was a window in front of her, but the light shining overhead created a glare which prevented her from making out anything on the other side. Turning to her left, she saw a table full of what appeared to be medical equipment, including syringes and IV packs. Looking to her right, she saw a metallic door, a red light blinking, indicating it was locked shut.

"_Where…where am I?_" she thought as she went to move her hands. Feeling resistance, she gasped and turned her head, leaning back only to realize she was strapped to a chair. She could feel metal handcuffs around her hands, locking them behind her, and glancing down at the floor, she realized that her feet were cuffed to the legs of the chair. "_What is going on here? What happened to me?_"

Closing her eyes and wishing the blurriness to go away, she reopened them and sighed in relief upon seeing her clearer vision. Tugging at the handcuffs, she tried in vain to release herself. She growled after several attempts and leaned back into the chair. "_We were…in the elevator. That woman came and began firing at us… Who was she? And why was she intent on injuring us? She said she was supposed to take Kaiba into custody—_"

The thought caused her blood to freeze. "_Kaiba? Where is Kaiba?_" Leaning forward once more, she rapidly began examining the room she was in, hoping to find some trace of him. From what she could tell, it appeared to be a medical clinic. The dimensions of the room that she could see indicated that the room itself was rather small. There were medical supplies, a red, emergency stash located along the wall, and a television in the upper corner of the room. Looking back to the window, she gasped in shock as the contents on the other side were finally revealed.

"Kaiba!" she shouted, wishing she could lunge forward towards the window. Instead, her hands pulled against the handcuffs, causing them to cut slightly into her skin. She hissed in pain but kept her eyes on the CEO, who appeared to be in a similar room to the one she was in. He also was tied to a chair, and he had yet to regain consciousness, for his head hung in front of his chest. "Kaiba, wake up!" she shouted, already knowing that the window was most likely soundproof. "Come on, Kaiba! You have to wake up! We have to—"

"Jesus, who is making all this noise?" The door to Kaiba's room opened, and Anzu watched in horror as two men entered. Both were wearing similar attire to the woman who had attacked them in the main entrance: white trenchcoat, black pants, and white shirts. Added to this was a pair of black goggles, which each man took off and let hang loosely around his neck as he entered.

"Is the girl in the other room awake yet?" the other man asked, glancing through the window. He had short, blonde hair and appeared to be in his thirties. Anzu and the man's eyes met, and he scoffed before saying, "Great, she's already conscious."

"How is that possible?" the first man asked. This man had long brown hair which was pulled back into a ponytail. "She is smaller than Mr. Kaiba; the gas should have knocked her out for quite a bit longer."

"Who knows?" the second man answered.

"Where the hell am I?" Anzu shouted, hating the fact that they were talking about her as though she wasn't there. "And who are you two?"

"Should we tell the boss that she is awake?" the second man questioned as he glanced back at his partner, who was rummaging through the clean, metallic cupboards located in the back of the room.

"Why? He'll only get upset."

"But he told us to inform him when one of them awoke, and I would hate to get in trouble over something stupid like this."

"True, true."

"Besides, he may want to watch to make sure we're doing this right."

"Yeah… I guess…"

"Give him a call and tell him what's happening. He can decide from there."

The man with the long, brown hair sighed before walking away from the cupboards. Anzu watched as he approached the entrance doorway and pressed a button on what appeared to be a small intercom. Waiting until a small light flashed green, the man stated, "Sir, we have the two in custody now. The female appears to be awake, yet the primary test subject is still unconscious."

There was a moment of silence before a sudden hissing sound came through. Anzu couldn't make out what was being said, so she merely watched as the other scientist lifted Kaiba's head, examining both sides before letting it fall back down to his chest. She yanked against the handcuffs, wishing she could free herself to protect Kaiba from whatever it was the two were planning to do to him. The click of a monitor caused her to blink in surprise, and she glanced up to see the television monitor turned on. She watched in shock as the man from the virtual reality appeared on the screen. She could only see his face, but it was a face she could never forget.

"Ah, you were…in the virtual reality as well, were you not?" he questioned, staring curiously at her through the television monitor. "What does my useless stepson want with someone like you?"

"W-Who are you?" she questioned, wondering if he would be able to hear her or not. He must have, for he chuckled and shook his head at her question.

"If you were in the virtual reality and saw me, then you must have a rather poor memory," he taunted. "I am Gozaburo Kaiba, the true owner of KaibaCorp before my adopted son over here kicked me out."

"What is it that you want from us?" she exclaimed, returning her gaze to Kaiba, whom the two scientists were now examining.

"I take it he has been acting rather strangely since returning from the virtual reality?" Gozaburo chuckled and said, "I do hope that he has enjoyed what I've done to him."

"You monster!"

"I'm the monster? Ha! This little brat stole my company and kicked me out of the spotlight! He is no better than I am when it comes to business; however, he did not anticipate my inevitable return."

"And what does that mean?"

"It means that my fellow scientists and I have been working underground while Seto made a mockery of my company in the world above," he explained. "I kept my experiments in the biological weapons field unknown to Seto, for I was suspicious of that boy the moment I laid eyes on him in that rustic, forgotten orphanage. When he beat me at that game of chess, I knew I had a contender to deal with. So I committed myself to slowly moving from mechanical weapons to biological, keeping Seto in the dark about my plans. He eventually did take over my company, but he was unaware of the research that was truly occurring. This ignorance came to my advantage, for I stowed myself away in this facility after faking my suicide, a facility that I hid particularly well in the archives. I then placed myself in the virtual reality I had designed for my son, Noa, with the help of these fine scientists here. Once my placement was established, I continued my studies into biological weapons and began designing tests for them in the virtual reality." Smirking, he added, "You wouldn't believe how much easier it is to warp one's mind when they are at the mercy of a virtual reality. Their minds are so feeble, as they are truly weak against the power of the moderator. I just…_tweaked_ a few of Seto's brain waves, hoping to see their effects in the real world. He is, after all, my honorary first test subject."

"You…you bastard!" Anzu screamed, growling as she pulled against the handcuffs. "I don't know what happened between the two of you, but this is immoral! You can't do this to your adopted son! Why would you adopt him in the first place if you didn't like him?"

"You think I had a choice in the matter?" Gozaburo argued. "That brat beat me at a game of chess, and it was in that game that he sold his life to me. I think he did it to give that little shit brother of his a good life, but what was that to me? I now had another son to deal with, a son who I knew would someday spell the end of me."

"A chess game…?" Recalling Mokuba's words in the virtual reality, Anzu turned and stared in wonder at Kaiba. "_He gave up his happiness, knowing what it would cost him, just to give Mokuba a better life?_" She felt a sudden pang of guilt rush through her system; all along, she had never known. Suddenly Kaiba wasn't an antisocial, rude billionaire; he was a pragmatic, caring older brother.

"Sir, shall we begin administering the drug?" the blonde scientist questioned as the brown-haired scientist pulled over a metallic cart. Anzu's eyes widened. Lined vertically in a neat, pristine order was a row of syringes.

"Yes, you may begin," he answered. "As for you, young lady, take note of what will happen. For you see, we noticed that the effects of the drug we administered in the virtual reality are happening at a sporadic rate. We feel that it might be better if these effects were more regulated, occurring at faster rates. After all, Seto was able to find this facility and come here. He obviously isn't as hampered by the drug as we wished."

"You're going to worsen his condition?" Her lips quivered. This was not good.

"We're just going to speed up whatever brain wave we tinkered with by administering a drug into his bloodstream," Gozaburo stated, a malicious smirk crossing his lips. "But don't worry. Once we are done with him, you can be our next test subject."

Gasping in terror, she began yanking on the handcuffs once more, ignoring the shots of pain that ran up her arms as the metal cut into her skin. She gasped when she realized the chair was moving with her, and she went to lift the chair on its side when she noticed a glint of light shine against the window separating the two rooms. She looked up and screamed when she saw one of the scientists advance towards Kaiba, a syringe in his gloved hand. "Stop this, you two! You can't do this! Why are you doing this to him?"

The two glanced over at her in unison, and she blinked in surprise upon noticing a hint of sadness in their eyes, causing her to stare in confusion at them. "_Do they really want to do this?_" she thought to herself. "_Or are they being forced into doing this?_" They returned to their attention to the task at hand, however, and just as the needle was placed into Kaiba's neck, a third scientist stormed into the room, panting and gasping for air.

The syringe dropped out of the scientist's hand and onto the floor, shattering into a thousand pieces. The two scientists growled at the interruption, and Gozaburo asked, "What? What the hell is the meaning of this?"

"We…we need help!" the third scientist explained, leaning forward and placing both hands on her knees. She was a woman by the sound of her voice, yet her outfit (which was the same trenchcoat and pants that everyone else was wearing) contained a white helmet which covered her features. It connected to the trenchcoat, almost like a hood, with a black visor in front of her eyes.

"With what?" the blonde scientist questioned.

"One of the experiments is loose! I don't know how, but it broke out of its chains! We need help restraining it!"

Both scientists gasped in shock, and Gozaburo growled before yelling, "We need those experiments contained at all cost! Get moving, you two! Help them get it back under control! As for you," he added, his eyes turning to look at Anzu once more, "as for you, you will just have to wait." The three scientists quickly exited the room, and the television monitor clicked off, leaving Anzu alone in a tense silence.

Sighing heavily, she realized it was now or never. If she did not figure a way out, they would be in huge trouble. "Hold on, Kaiba," she muttered as she tested the weight of the chair. "I'm going to get out of here."

She slowly began tilting the chair to the left, smiling widely when the right side lifted off the ground. She then pulled at the handcuff around her ankle until she felt it slide underneath the chair, released from the chair leg. She then set the chair back down only to repeat the same procedure on the other side. With both legs now free, she carefully placed her feet on the edge of the seat of the chair before slowly sliding her body upwards. Her smile widened as she felt her hands come in contact with her back, the handcuffs now the only thing keeping her from properly moving. Turning to examine the room she was in, she discovered it to be identical to the one Kaiba was in. She swiftly walked over to the edge of the metallic counter and, turning her back to it while taking in a large breath of air, slammed her two hands down against the edge, shuddering at the loud break in metal as the handcuffs came in contact with the counter. She repeated this three times before she could feel the handcuffs loosening, and she quickly pulled at it before feeling her right hand become free. She brought her hand forward and examined it briefly, noticing several small cuts from her attempts at releasing herself, before pulling her other hand forward and undoing the clasp. She shook her hands, happy to be back in control, before sliding the handcuffs off of her ankles. She then stood and contemplated her next move.

Approaching the window that separated the two, she glanced over to see the red light still blinking next to the doorway, signaling that she was trapped inside. "How steady is this window?" she thought aloud, banging her fist against it and blinking in surprise when it shook. It didn't feel quite supported given the fact that they were currently underground. Punching it once more, she felt it shudder again and frowned before turning and running to the cupboards. Opening nearly every drawer, she found several boxes of medical equipment as well as a key. She frowned as she took the key in her hand and turned it sideways, reading the label 'Emergency Access' on the side. Examining the room once more, she saw the emergency box located on the wall which read 'Emergency Storage' in white font. She rushed over and swiftly opened it, gasping in shock when she saw two pistols, several boxes of ammo, and an axe stationed comfortably in the glass windowpane. She shakily reached forward and grabbed the two pistols, knowing that it would be best to take them along. Still, she was against violence, as she found it to be the wrong way of dealing with others, and holding a weapon in her hand was not a usual sensation for her. She swallowed the fear that was welling up inside her and placed them in her back pockets, the boxes of ammo in her front pockets, before taking the axe out of its container. It was heavier than she first imagined, and it took several seconds for her to get a tight grip on the wooden handle, but once she was situated, she moved towards the window once more and swung at it with all her might. She watched as a large crack formed, the edges expanding across the window, and she carefully hit the same spot two more times before the window finally collapsed, the pieces of glass shattering in all directions.

She sighed heavily before placing the axe on the floor. Hopping over the barrier, she rushed over to Kaiba, who was still unconscious after all this time. "Come on, Kaiba, you have to wake up," she ushered, hoping against hope that they hadn't done anything to him while she was unconscious. Pulling against the handcuffs, she realized he was tied to the chair the same way she had been. She gently lifted the chair up, surprised at how light the CEO was, and pulled both his legs free in the manner she had released her legs before considering the handcuffs. A brief thought occurred to her, and realizing that finding a key was out of the question, she again swallowed back the fear and rushed over to the barrier. Grabbing the axe, she dragged it to the back of the chair and held it firmly in her hands. "I…I can do this," she said to herself before swinging the axe down between the CEO's two hands. The chain shattered at the contact, and Kaiba's hands were now free. She set the axe down once more and took him in her arms, deciding to take a moment to sit down.

Placing the guns next to the axe, Anzu gently sat down on the floor of the clinic and laid Kaiba down in her lap. She slowly moved a few bangs out of his face before taking the opportunity to look over his wrists, making sure he suffered no cuts like she had. Indeed, his wrists were fine. All that needed to happen was for him to wake up. "_If they did something to him, he might be in a lot of pain,_" she thought as she carefully laid him onto the metallic floor of the room. Standing up, she ran over to the barrier and hopped over once more before rushing to the stash of medical supplies. Opening one of the boxes, she saw several containers of painkillers as well as a few syringes. She took a bottle of the painkillers and closed the box before returning to the CEO. She then sat down and placed his head in her lap, setting the bottle of pills down next to her.

"Kaiba, come on!" she shouted, placing a hand against his cheek. "You need to wake up!" Tapping his face slightly, she smiled when she noticed the first sign of movement from him. A frown crossed his face as his eyebrows knit together, and she went to tap his cheek once more when he uttered a word she had never heard the CEO say before.

He groaned and asked with a soft voice, "…Mother?"


	12. CH 12 : In the Dark

_Author's Note: Just a forewarning, the next chapter may take awhile to upload, as I am going on vacation for several days and will not be bringing my laptop.

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Chapter 12 : In the Dark

_Everything was dark. He could feel objects, he could sense people, but everywhere he looked, there was only darkness. Blackness, an empty void…_

_He felt like he should have been sinking into some unknown pit, swallowed by a vast unknown. Instead, he found himself standing on an invisible plane of existence, feeling presences unseen. Why was everything so dark? Why was everything black? Why couldn't he make out a trace of anything?_

_He fell to his hands and knees and was surprised by the feeling of sand beneath his fingertips. He blinked in shock as the sight of a sandbox soon came into view. He felt his hands and knees sink slightly into the sand, and he turned to see several toys appearing next to him. A shovel, a castle, a girl's doll. He slowly looked beyond the sandbox to see a sudden bright light begin illuminating the area. He held his hand up to shield his eyes and looked away as the blinding light froze him to the spot._

_When the light diminished, he took his hand away and scrutinized what he now saw. He was in the sandbox at the orphanage he and Mokuba grew up at. There were no children, no adults. The parking lot was empty of any and all cars. He was all alone. The swings on the swing set moved in a gentle breeze, yet their emptiness caused him to feel uneasy. He merely looked around, taking in his surroundings. There was no one in sight. _

_He felt a rapid shock of terror, and his eyes widened in surprise. He was alone… All alone. There was no one. Where was everyone? Where had they all gone? Why had they left? Because of him? He went to stand but found he was too weak to push himself back up. Tried as he might, his arms wouldn't provide him the strength necessary to stand. With all the energy he had, he pushed himself back so that he was sitting on the back of his legs. His movement was slow, however, as if he was pushing himself through a thick liquid. He then looked around once more, hoping against hope to see a sign of life. He wanted to see Mokuba, Anzu, hell, even Jounouchi would be fine. He just wanted to know he wasn't the only one alive. _

"_Hello, son."_

_The woman's voice caused him to gasp in surprise. He turned around as swiftly as he could and stared in wonder at the sight before him._

"…_Mother?"_

_It was his mother! Her long, brown hair, with Mokuba's gray eyes. Seto had obtained his mother's hair and his father's eyes; Mokuba obtained the reverse. She stood tall, smiling sweetly down at him, wearing a light green dress and glasses. Her hair flowed in the breeze, and with the sun shining down on her, she looked like a goddess sent from the heavens. _

"_Yes, it's me," she answered in a soft voice. "You can come home now, sweetie." _

_He ran towards her without a second thought. It didn't occur to him that he was shorter than before, that his hands were smaller or his vision was lower. It didn't occur to him that he had taken on the image of himself as a child. And it certainly didn't occur to him that he was still moving at the same slow pace. All that mattered was that someone – his mother no less! - was here. He rushed towards her and wrapped his arms around her waist, feeling her return the kind gesture. _

"_It's okay, dearie," she whispered into his ear. "You don't have to worry any longer."_

"_But Mom… When are you coming back?" Even his voice had changed to the voice he had as a child. It was softer, higher. It held the innocence he lost all those years ago._

"_I… I'm not coming back," she answered. "But don't you worry yourself. You have the strength to move on. You can—"_

_Her voice suddenly cut short, and he blinked in surprise before looking up at his mother. He cried out and began shaking in terror as his mother's face gradually became contorted. Her smile widened, her teeth sharpened, and her eyes took on a dark, red color. Her hair flared out behind her, and he moaned in pain as his mother's hands turned to claws, the nails digging into his skin. "M…Mom?"_

"_I'm not coming back," she repeated. "But don't you worry yourself. You have the strength to move on."_

"_Mom, what is happening?" he shouted, sensing the danger he was in. He went to push himself away, but his mother's claws kept him in her tight grip. Looking up into her demonic eyes, he screamed in terror. _

"_Mom! Mom!"

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Taking in a sharp breath of air, Seto bolted upright only to roll over and fall onto the ground, feeling the cold metal hit his skin. He took in several shaky breaths of air, feeling his body shivering like crazy. "_What… What was that?_" he thought as he pushed himself onto his hands and knees. Feeling only the cold metal beneath his hands, he shuddered and closed his eyes, wishing the horrific image of his mother to go away. He felt like he was ready to vomit, but after a few deep breaths, he calmed his stomach. "_I… I saw… Mother…_" He placed his right hand on his forehead and wiped away the few drops of sweat that were beginning to form only to jump at the touch of someone's hand on his shoulder. He rapidly turned to see Anzu staring worriedly with wide eyes at him. "A-Anzu?" he asked, feeling a growing headache. "What…What happened to us?"

"I… I don't know," she answered. "But…are you okay?"

The pain in his head was growing. Frowning, he pushed himself up to a sitting position before placing his hands on his forehead. He began massaging his temples, hoping it would calm his headache, when he heard the rattling of a bottle. He glanced over to see Anzu pulling out a small container of pills. She poured out two and held her hand out to him. "I found these in one of the cupboards," she explained. "They are painkillers. If you want them, they are here."

The idea of taking random pills didn't quite suit him, but he felt he could trust her and took them. Popping them into his mouth, he swallowed them dry and felt his pain turning to dizziness. He closed his eyes and placed his hands back on the floor to keep himself from swaying.

"You need to lay down?" she asked. He shook his head no but felt his hands give out from under him. He hit the cold floor hard and hissed in pain before attempting to push himself up again. "Kaiba, please, don't push yourself," she instructed, grabbing his weak, upper body and pulling him close to her. He felt himself be situated into her lap and closed his eyes, feeling the dizziness receding.

"Where… Where are we?" he asked, deciding to get some information while he recovered.

"I don't know," she answered. "From the looks of it, we are in some sort of medical lab. There were painkillers, syringes…lots of medical equipment. I think they took us down into the facility."

Sighing heavily, he felt a new wave of dizziness and involuntarily shuddered. He frowned as he felt Anzu's grip tighten on him slightly, almost as a protective gesture. "Are there any scientists around?" he asked, realizing too late how stupid of a question it sounded. If there were, would they be sitting on the floor?

"No, not anymore."

His eyebrows knit together. "What does that mean?"

"Two scientists came in… They started examining you. They had a bunch of syringes. I-I kept yelling at them, telling them to stop, when that Gozaburo creep appeared and—"

The name caused his eyes to open and widen in horror. "What?" he shouted, jumping out of her lap only to feel a third wave of dizziness go through him. Groaning in frustration, he closed his eyes for a brief second before reopening them and turning to face her. "Where did you see him?" he asked in a cold voice.

"He appeared on a television monitor," Anzu stated. "I could only see his face, but he was talking about the experiments that occurred in the virtual reality. He said he wanted to speed up the effects of whatever it was he did to you, but before the scientists could inject you with the chemical, another scientist entered." At this point, she bit her lower lip and asked, "Are…are you sure you are feeling okay?"

"I'm just dizzy, is all," he answered, and it was the truth. He wasn't hearing or seeing anything out of the ordinary; his world was just slightly spinning.

"Okay."

"Continue what you were saying."

"Oh, right. Well, the third scientist entered and said something about an experiment getting on the loose. Gozaburo went crazy and ordered the two scientists working on you to leave. He then threatened me before the television monitor went off."

"I see…" Placing his feet flat on the floor, Seto carefully pushed himself up, standing still before taking a step forward to get his bearings.

"Don't you want to sit for another minute?" Anzu questioned, rushing to stand up and approach him.

"We need to get moving if we are going to get away from those scientists," Seto answered. "And don't worry. I'll be fine. The dizziness is going away… I suppose those painkillers really work."

"Here, you take them," she stated, handing the bottle over to him. "And, um… I don't know if you want one of these, but… Th-They were in the emergency stash…"

Turning to look, his eyes widened upon see the amount of weapons and glass that were strewn about. The window between the two rooms, the other room being identical to the one they were in, was shattered, and lying on the ground was a pair of pistols as well as a fire axe. He stepped forward, hearing several pieces of glass break underneath his shoes, before leaning down and picking up one of the pistols. Examining it, he said, "It's a standard handgun. Not much use against larger people, but it can help if someone is chasing after us."

"You think we should keep them?"

He frowned and turned to look at her. "_She's scared,_" he noted, placing the pistol in the front pocket of his pants. "_I guess I can't really blame her. She's probably never even seen a weapon let alone held one._" "Yeah, we should keep them. Leave the axe, though. There is no way we are carrying that thing around."

"O-Okay." He watched as she slowly picked the other pistol off the ground and looked it over, her hands trembling. He sighed and walked up to her, holding her hands in his in order to guide them.

"When you go to fire, pull this safety first," he instructed, pointing with her fingers where everything was. "Then, all you have to do is fire. If you need to reload, you push this here, and it will eject the magazine." Pushing her finger in the designated spot, he watched as she grabbed the loose magazine and pulled it out, revealing a full cartridge of bullets. "All you have to do is reload from there and slide it back in. Understand?"

She smiled up at him and nodded before shoving the magazine back into the gun.

"Do we have any extra ammunition?" he questioned.

"Yeah, two boxes," she answered. Pulling one from her front pocket, she handed it to him and said, "Thank you, by the way."

"I can't imagine you have ever held a weapon before," he stated, placing the box of ammo in his other pocket.

"N-No, I've never had to. I… I don't like violence all that much."

He nodded in understanding and briefly examined the room they were in. It did indeed look like a medical lab. "_I wonder… Were they going to experiment on us again like they did to me in the virtual reality? But how would that be possible? This is the real world… Did they figure something out, or—_"

"How did you know how to use this?"

The question jarred him out of his thoughts, and he blinked before glancing back down at Anzu. "What?"

"This handgun. How did you know how to use it?"

He smirked and rolled his eyes. "I told you, I've taken defense courses. That includes holding a weapon. I don't always trust my bodyguards to have my back defended, so I took it upon myself to know how to handle a simple handgun."

"Do you know how to use other weapons?"

His smirk turned to a frown. "_Why is she so curious?_" "No… No, I don't know how to use any other weapons."

"_But I've seen plenty in action…_"

"Just wondering, you know… In case we find any new weapons along the way."

He smirked and said, "I don't know about you, but I want to get out of here. I'll come back with more men to take over this place, but for now we have to find our escape. We can worry about locating weapons and gadgets later."

She smiled and nodded in agreement, and the two quickly exited the room, looking both ways to see a dark, deserted hallway. The fluorescent lights were quite dim, illuminating only a small portion of the hallway. "I know I complained about the designing," Anzu whispered, "But what the hell is the deal with this lighting? It's so dark you can't even see the end of the hallway!"

Kaiba had to admit that it was rather strange. "Nevermind," he stated, deciding to go to the left. "Let's just find our way out."

"Do you even know where you are going?" Anzu questioned, rushing to keep up with his long strides.

"No, but it's better than just standing around." Her silence revealed her agreement, and he smirked before the two came to the end of the hallway, which entered into a perpendicular hallway. Glass windows along the walls revealed dark, empty offices. He had just scolded Anzu for wanting to investigate, but a prick of curiosity caused him to stop in front of the door leading inside.

"What do you think is in there?" asked Anzu, who seemed to notice his hesitation.

"I know we need to keep moving, but…" He wanted to know what was going on here and what the experiments were. "_I came here to figure out what was happening and if there was a way to cure what is going on in my head. There may be reports or files in here detailing what is going on…_" Sighing, he went to press the button next to the door in an attempt to open it when he noticed that the door was already marked as being open. He took a step forward and watched as it opened automatically. Shrugging his shoulders, he entered the room, Anzu close behind.

The door shut closed behind them, and Seto immediately began to feel his way through the room. He could feel pieces of paper scattered about on the desks, but the only light source came in through the windows from the hallway, and it barely lit the room at all. He could make out shapes, but the writing was illegible in the dimness.

"Need some light?" Anzu questioned, and Seto glanced over to see her grabbing a small flashlight. She clicked it on and held it over the papers, her eyes scanning the reports. He muttered a small thanks before spreading the papers out. "What are these?"

"I'm not sure," he answered slowly, his eyes roaming across the numbers and figures. Each paper had the same template; a picture of a 3D body was in the upper-left hand corner, along with a name. Some of them were Japanese, yet most were American. On the right and bottom were numbers ranging from height and weight to number of injections per hour. "_Are these all…test subjects?_" he thought, his eyes widening in horror. "_But wait a minute. Gozaburo said in the virtual reality I was his first test subject. Did he mean… I was his first test subject for this one drug? Has he been testing other things during his absence?_"

A sudden noise attracted the two's attention, and Anzu swiftly turned off the flashlight as the two ducked down, their heads underneath the glass. From their position, they could see outside into the hallways, yet the lack of light came to their advantage, for they were covered in darkness. The two waited, their breaths coming in and out in short gasps, when Seto noticed something walking down the hallway in the direction they had come from.

When it came into full view, it took everything in his power not to gasp in horror. His eyes widened even more than they had previously, and Anzu placed a hand over her mouth to keep from screaming out in fear. The…thing… Whatever it was, it was revolting. It was tall, maybe nearly six feet, and appeared to be rather muscular. Its skin was a dark, pinkish color, with breaks that revealed the moving muscles and tendons beneath. It was wearing what appeared to be a white, patient's outfit, but the front of it was torn in two, and the sleeves were covered in a red liquid, presumably blood. It had no hair on its head or on its skin, and to Seto, it looked like a mixture between a human and an alien.

The two watched and waited as the creature slowly limped its way forward, walking away from the doorway and towards the end of the hallway. It stopped abruptly, however, and seemed to contemplate its next move. Anzu, who had started shivering uncontrollably since its appearance, grabbed onto Seto's hand, and he glanced over at her before deciding to place his hands on her arms, doing his best to calm her down. "It can't see us," he whispered as softly as he could. "Unless it has night vision, it can't see us."

"B-But…but what is it?"

He went to answer when he noticed the creature begin turning. It was slow, but it maneuvered itself so that it was facing the window, its eyes peering into the dark room. Anzu's breath stopped, and even Seto felt his heart skip a beat as the creature tilted its head slightly, staring blankly into the room. Its eyes were a dark green color, and Seto could see that the front torso was opened, revealing several muscles and bones here and there. It was a gruesome sight, and he could feel Anzu's shivering only increase. He went to turn her head, knowing she was frightened beyond belief, when the noise of gunfire caused them both to jump in their spots.

Seto watched as the creature fell forward, his hands grabbing onto the window before sliding down, leaving a trail of slime and blood as it slid to the floor. Footsteps soon followed, and the two perceived two scientists who were approaching the subject. Both were wearing white trenchcoats with what Seto thought were attached hoods with black visors, which covered their facial features, as well as black pants and white t-shirts. The windows must have been soundproof, for he could see their mouths moving but couldn't hear a word of what they were saying. He waited as the two knelt down and lifted the body of the creature, one man holding his head and the other grabbing his feet, before walking down the rest of the hallway and turning left. They waited several seconds before Seto released Anzu, sensing it was safe for them to move again.

"Wh-Wh-What the hell was that?" she whispered harshly, her eyes wide and full of tears.

"How should I know?" he answered, frowning at her question. "I've never seen anything like that before…"

"Was that one of the experiments, do you think?"

"Not sure. Could have been."

"How can you be so calm?"

He sighed and closed his eyes, letting his head fall forward slightly. "We need to get out of here," he stated. "Freaking out over things will not help us."

"Kaiba, I don't know what you just saw, but from the looks of that creature, there is something crazy going on!"

"You think I don't know that?" he retorted, turning to glare at her. "I know that something fucked-up is going on down here! That's why I came to investigate it! You think I'm blind to the situation? Maybe you forgot, but it's me that has their mind being fucked with! So just—"

Noticing her hurt stare, he turned away from her and swiped one of the papers off the desk, doing his best to look it over in the little light that was available. He could feel her staring at him, however, and swallowed the lump in his throat. "Look, I'm scared too," he whispered, surprised that he was confessing his emotions to her. "I don't know what is happening, and if that creature has anything to do with my condition, then I… I don't know. But we're here to figure this thing out, and I will not let anything hurt you." He offered her a small smile and said, "We are armed, and while we don't know what to expect, we can defend ourselves. So let's just figure out what is going on, and we can get out of here."

She seemed thankful for his words, for she smiled softly at him before asking, "So then…what do we do?"

"I think, if we want any answers," he stated, knowing already how bad of an idea it sounded, "we need to follow those scientists."


	13. CH 13 : All Access

_Author's Note: Alrighty, chapter 13 is posted! I had an awesome vacation, to those of you who care; I celebrated my birthday with sushi and chocolate cupcakes! :D

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Chapter 13 : All Access

They had followed the two scientists and the disgusting being they were carrying down the length of the hallway before watching them turn right and proceed down another perpendicular hallway. Anzu stared curiously at them, noticing how they bumped each other back and forth, oftentimes hitting the walls. "_They obviously can't see very well in this light,_" she thought as Kaiba signaled for them to move on. "_Why is it so dark in this place? You would think they would have considered how to illuminate an underground laboratory when building this place._"

Peeking around the corner, Anzu watched as the three bodies entered another elevator. The scientist pressed a button, and soon the elevator doors closed, the sounds of its descent reaching their ears. She sighed and turned to face Kaiba, who was standing on the opposite side of the hallway. "Now what?" she questioned, looking down both hallways to make sure no one was in hearing range.

"I don't know," he answered. "Let's check out the elevator. Maybe we can get back to the ground floor."

Nodding, she followed him towards the elevator and watched as he pressed the UP button. The two waited impatiently, eyeing the hallway to make sure no one was coming, and after several long minutes, the elevator doors finally opened, revealing a surprisingly bright yet empty compartment. They entered and waited for the doors to close shut before examining the buttons. "Let's hope what happened last time doesn't happen again," she remarked, glancing up at the ceiling of the elevator.

"The intruder defense system isn't activated," Kaiba replied. "There would be no need for the alarm to go off."

"Yeah, but if they return to the room and find that we are gone…"

Kaiba frowned and whispered, "Let's just see if we can get out of here."

Anzu waited as he pressed the top button labeled G. The button lit up upon his touch, but a message appeared in red above on a small monitor reading **Authorization Required**. Kaiba growled and pressed the button several more times; the message kept reappearing. Pressing the second-highest button, he bit his lower lip when the same message appeared. "What does it mean?" she asked, approaching the buttons.

"It means that we need some sort of clearance in order to go anywhere," he answered. Tapping his fingertip underneath the screen where the messages were displayed, he slid his finger along a sliver in the wall. "It must be a card reader," he observed. "We'll need to find some form of identification if we're going to get out of here."

"Great…"

"Well, we can't follow those scientists," he stated. "We might as well go back and check out the offices again. There may be a keycard lying around that we can use."

She shivered at the notion of going back. "But what if we see that thing again?" she asked, her voice shaking at the thought.

"Anzu, we are armed," he replied. "That thing didn't look very intelligent, and if there are more of those creatures on the loose, then we are not the only problem these scientists have on their hands. I think you are worrying too much."

"And I think you are worrying too little," she retorted.

He growled and turned to glare at her. "So what do you want me to do? Scream and cry like a child? We need to figure a way out of here, and I have to solve whatever it is that is going on. You want to sit here and wait for something to happen? Fine, but I'm leaving."

She frowned and watched as he pressed the button to open the door. The doors slowly slid open, and she bit her lower lip and turned to face the entrance only to scream in horror.

"Holy shit!" Kaiba exclaimed, jumping back in surprise. "Where did he come from?" There was another creature standing directly in front of the entrance to the compartment. It was similar to the one from before; the only difference was that it was wearing a blue shirt with blood smeared down the front. Pulling out his pistol, he aimed it at the creature, waiting for it to make its move. Anzu slowly did the same, the pistol quivering in her hands. She swallowed the lump in her throat and stood next to Kaiba, wanting to prove that she was worth keeping around.

"_I….I can do this,_" she thought to herself, aiming the gun directly at the creature. She frowned, however, when it refused to move. It stared curiously at the two, smiling at her then frowning at Kaiba. It merely went back and forth, never moving anything other than its eyes and lips.

"This thing is wasting our time," Kaiba noted after several seconds passed. "If those scientists find this guy standing here, then we are dead." He took a step forward, yet Anzu could hear his heavy breathing from where she was standing.

"_Glad I'm not the only one who's scared_." Keeping her aim on the creature, she waited as Kaiba took another step forward, then another, until he was standing directly in front of the creature. It still refused to move, though its head had now turned so it could stare directly at him. He slowly raised his hand, his fear evident in his shivering, and went to touch the creature in the shoulder in order to push him to the side. The creature stood still.

Anzu was about to lower her weapon, sensing that perhaps there was no danger, when the creature let out a cry of pain upon Kaiba's touch. It was a screech, loud and obnoxious, and she winced in terror as the sound penetrated the eerie silence. It grabbed Kaiba's wrist with surprising speed and hurled him back into the elevator, shaking the compartment. She gasped as Kaiba fell to the floor, the pistol falling out of his hand, and turned her attention back to the creature, who was now hunched forward and staring menacingly at the two. Firing her weapon twice, she cried out in fear as the bullets rushed forward, hitting the creature both times in the chest. He began taking slow steps towards them, the bullet wounds appearing to have done very little damage. She aimed her weapon slightly higher and took in a deep breath of air before firing off another bullet. She watched as it went straight through the creature's head, the blood splattering all across the floor and compartment wall. It fell to the floor of the elevator in a heap, convulsing twice before finally stopping all movement. Blood and a bit of brain matter began seeping out of the hole, causing Anzu's stomach to turn.

Breathing in short, shallow gasps, she stepped over the creature and pressed the button to close the elevator doors, hoping no one had heard the short skirmish. She then turned to examine Kaiba. He was cautiously getting up on his hands and knees, and as he did so, he gasped in pain and grabbed onto his wrist. "A-Are you all right?" she asked, kicking the body of the creature to the side with a revolted glance before kneeling in front of the CEO.

"Yeah, it's just…" Taking his hand away, he winced as the wound came into view. There was a black and blue mark where the creature had grabbed him. "He sure had a strong grip."

"Do you need anything?"

"Do we _have_ anything?"

Realizing her mistake, she frowned and muttered, "Sorry."

"Still, you killed him," he noted, turning to look at the creature. He smirked at her and said, "I know you don't like violence, but we may need to do this more if we are going to get out of here. Are you okay with that?"

"_Is he asking for my opinion?_" she thought, frowning at him. "I… I don't like it, but if we have to do this to survive, then I'll do it."

He nodded in agreement and said, "Good." Pushing his way up with the help of the compartment wall, he sighed heavily and glanced down at the creature. "Now…what do we do with him?"

"How did he get there in the first place?" Anzu questioned. "I never heard him coming."

"Either the elevator doors are soundproof, or this guy was quick to find us," he stated. "And from how hard he shoved me and how fast he reacted, I'm guessing it may be more the latter than the former."

"Were they always roaming the hallways? From the way those two scientists reacted, I don't think these creatures should be out of their cages. Gozaburo said only one was out… Do you think there are more?"

"Who knows? From what I have seen so far, my guess is that something is happening now that shouldn't be. They expected to kidnap and drug us. We escaped, and so have their creatures. Something, or someone, isn't cooperating with the agreed plan of action."

Anzu's eyes widened. "You think there is someone on our side?"

"I think there is someone who wants to take down this facility as much as I do," Kaiba answered. "But whoever it is, or if there really is someone, is beyond me. All I know is that these creatures pack a punch, so we may want to steer clear of them from now on."

"Well, it wasn't as if we were looking for this guy."

Kaiba cracked a smile and uttered, "Very true." She smiled back at him, happy to know that he was okay, and watched as he pushed himself off the wall of the compartment. "Let's get out of here and go the other route," he stated. "There may be another elevator or stairway we can use." Pressing the button once more to open the elevator doors, he took his pistol out, scrutinizing the hallway to see if anyone had come to check on the sounds, and took a step forward to make sure there weren't any other creatures. Anzu waited for him to give her the signal to move, her eyes wandering to the dead, disgusting creature every couple of seconds, before following Kaiba out of the elevator and down the hallway.

Keeping her pistol out, she trailed behind him as they continued down the hallway, passing the hallway they had originally come from. They soon came to a staircase leading both up and down with an empty central column, giving her a good view of just how deep they were underground. The stairwell was made of iron, and their steps echoed off the cement walls as they began ascending the facility. The stairs moved in a square pattern, tracing the walls as it went around and around. Again, the lights were turned down low, and Anzu almost tripped several times as they made their way to the next floor.

"Why is there practically no lighting?" she complained, deciding to use the guide rail as her safety.

"That is actually a good question. Scientists are picky about everything; they would demand a comfortable, illuminated facility, especially if they knew they were going to live down here."

The two climbed the rest of the stairs to the next floor and stopped at a pair of double doors. Taking opposite sides of the entrance, Kaiba on the left and she on the right, they stood directly outside the entrance and pressed their ears against the wall, hoping to hear something on the other side. She shivered as she heard voices screaming at each other, men barking orders as the sounds of the creatures came through. It sounded like a brawl, as no gunshots could be heard, yet the sound of furniture and metal breaking clashed between the screams. "What were these scientists thinking?" she thought aloud.

"Probably just following orders," Kaiba answered. "Scientists aren't ones who usually think about the consequences of their actions. They like to tinker and toy with schematics, perhaps even see them used in a testing facility like this. Using them in the real world, or their real world consequences, have little meaning to them."

She frowned and glanced over at him. "You sound like you know what kind of people we are dealing with."

"Gozaburo had plenty of scientists working for him," he stated, adding with a chuckle, "and obviously he still does. They were all highly intelligent individuals, but they were about as amoral as you can get. They knew they were creating weapons to be used in combat, but they didn't care. All they wanted was to see their creations in action."

"Is that why he switched over to biological weapons, then? I mean, I can imagine it easier for a scientist to make a virus than a nuclear bomb."

"Perhaps. I think he just wanted to show off some new talent."

"New talent? What sort of—"

Holding his finger to his lips, Kaiba growled at her before placing his ear back to the door. Surprised by the motion, she stopped and placed her ear closer to the door. She waited several seconds, doing her best to pick up some sort of noise or echo, and frowned. "I hear nothing," she whispered.

"Exactly," he replied. "It's quiet."

"Do you think…?"

Shrugging his shoulders, he carefully made his way to the door handle and pushed the left one open, peeking in through the crack only to shudder. "You may want to stay out here," he stated, looking her straight in the eye. "It's… It isn't pretty."

She understood what he meant and appreciated him for looking out for her, but standing out in the hallway didn't seem like the best of plans either. "I… I will be okay."

"Alright…" Pushing the door open all the way, he sighed and raised his weapon before entering the room. Anzu waited for him to take two strides forward, making sure there was nothing left standing, before pushing the door on the right open. She opened her mouth in an attempt to get some fresh air at seeing the sight before her, yet the smell of blood was pungent, and she took a step back in order to regain her composure.

The room was a complete and total mess. It appeared to be an office room spanning the entire length of the facility; all she could see was a long, long line of desks, test tables, and the occasional test tube. She counted three total rows, yet there were no dividers to be found. Instead, each row had two lines of computer desks, each facing the opposite way. What was once a sterile, computer lab was now, however, a gory scene. The bodies of the scientists lied about on the floor, some in their chairs and others sprawled out on tables. There were at least a dozen, if not two dozen, scientists, and the blood seeped across the white, tile flooring. The fluorescent lights were brighter than the ones downstairs, illuminating the sheer amount of glass and paperwork that lay strewn about, both on the floor and on the desks. Computers were smashed, test tubes were shattered, and testing tables were turned on their side. It looked like a warzone.

She took in a large breath of air and stepped forward, doing her best to take note of whatever could be useful. She knew they needed to find a keycard, and while it was rather callous to be looking through the dead bodies, she was well aware that one of the bodies _had_ to have some form of identification. Kaiba seemed to understand the fact as well, for he kneeled down next to two bodies and opened their jackets, feeling the inner pockets for anything useful.

"What…do you think happened here?" she asked with a cracked voice.

"I don't know," he answered. She turned to look at him; his voice, usually calm and collected, was also quivering. "But I know that we don't want to run into whatever it was that did this."

She nodded in agreement and continued scanning through the data and bodies. Most of the scientists appeared to be a bit older, perhaps forties or fifties. "What would make them want to come and work down here?" she wondered, picking up one of the many sheets of paper lying on the ground. It was similar to the ones they had found earlier; a profile of a test subject was printed, along with medical treatments.

"They may not have had a choice," Kaiba remarked, standing from his position and moving to another body. Opening the lab coat, he stated, "They could have been here for any number of reasons." Smirking, he pulled out a small, silver card and held it up to the light. "I think this may be our ticket out of here."

"You found a keycard?"

"I don't believe Miss Alice Crowley will be needing this anymore," he remarked, placing it in his back pocket before turning to examine the area once more. He continued walking down the length of the room, and Anzu realized she had little choice but to follow him. She proceeded down the middle aisle, making sure not to trip over any of the bodies, when an abrupt noise caught her attention.

She blinked in surprise and turned to her right. Lying on one of the desks was a small radio. It was emitting a bit of static, but she could make out a man's voice trying to get through. "K-Kaiba!" she exclaimed, waiting for him to stop and turn to face her. "I think there is someone trying to get through on this."

He frowned and sighed before retracing his steps back to her. Approaching the desk, he picked up the radio and began toying with the dials. Anzu listened as the static rose then fell, became loud then soft, before the man's voice began to clearly come through. Her eyes widened as an American voice slowly patched through. "Ryan…Ryan….hear….Ryan…"

"Who is Ryan?" she asked. Kaiba shot her a glare, and she blushed at her foolish question.

"Ryan…send…hear…mansion…camera systems…"

"Dammit, why won't this patch through?" Kaiba remarked, continuing to play with the dials.

"Shutting…rebooting…Ryan…hear me…out now…elevator B5…."

"Elevator B5?" she repeated. "Is that the elevator to get out of here?"

"Could be," he remarked, sighing in frustration before setting the radio back down on the table.

"You don't want to bring that along?"

"Why would we? It hardly comes through, and I don't think it's two-way, meaning we can't talk to this guy and ask for help. Frankly, I wouldn't want to. And if he begins talking, then it will attract attention. I don't want to be a walking target anymore than I already am. We have a keycard; let's go and see if it works on the elevator."

Anzu nodded her head and glanced down once more at the radio before the two began crossing the rest of the room, wanting to see if there was anything particular on the other side. Even from where she was standing, she could see another pair of double doors at the opposite end of the room. They walked down the aisle, avoiding the debris, blood, and bodies while keeping an eye out for any activity. Just as they reached the doorway leading out into another area, however, the entire room went pitch black, and the sound of the power dying reached their ears.

"Shit..."


	14. CH 14 : Spectators

_Author's Note: Sorry this chapter is a bit shorter than those thus far, but I needed to establish this piece of the puzzle, and there is only so much description I can give. I promise the next chapter will be longer!

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_

Chapter 14 : Spectators

Three hours had come and gone, but the phone had yet to ring. "_He promised to call every hour,_" Mokuba thought as he shifted in his chair for perhaps the tenth time that hour. "_Every hour, and it's been three. Where is he? Are they busy? Did they find the cure? Or did something happen to them like I feared?_"

Ever since his brother came up with the idea of going to the island, Mokuba had a mixture of fear and confusion boiling inside him. He trusted his brother's judgment and knew that a cure was necessary to fix his brother's mental state, but sending Anzu and he to a forgotten island that belonged to Gozaburo years ago never seemed to strike Mokuba as being a good idea. Yes, it was helpful and reassuring to send Anzu, for Mokuba knew all too well that his older brother was too proud to admit he needed support. "_If he had another panic attack, he wouldn't be able to control himself. Anzu will be there to help him. But then again, she isn't that physically strong. What if someone is at this facility, like a bodyguard or something? Seto is strong; I remember all the defense courses he was forced to take under Gozaburo. He knows how to handle himself. But if he has another vision, and they are attacked…_"

He groaned and leaned back in his seat, pouting at the lack of communication. Since the first hour without hearing from his brother passed, every imaginable possibility of what was happening to the two raced through his mind, each one worse than the last. "_I just want to know he is okay. Just to know he is alive and safe…_" And Mokuba knew deep down that, if his brother was truly safe, he would have called by now.

Hearing a bird fly overhead, he glanced up and sighed in frustration. He had grown tired of playing video games, so, taking his cell phone outside with him, he left the living room to sit out on the porch. It was a sunny, clear day, with a bright blue sky overhead. In front of him was the swimming pool with a small field surrounding the area, outlining the Kaiba estate. The pool was clean, yet Mokuba hadn't gone swimming in it in over a year. Seto, well… He claimed he never had time to use it.

"Still no word from Kaiba, huh?" Jounouchi asked as he opened the porch door which led into the living room. Mokuba turned to see the blonde smiling at him and attempted to smile back while shaking his head no. "Ah, I wouldn't worry too much about them," he stated. "Anzu is with him. She may not look that tough, but she's got some thick skin. She can take care of Kaiba."

"I know, but still…"

"Yeah, Kaiba should've called us by now. I know, I know. But hey, maybe they found the cure and are just waiting to call when they get back?"

"It only took them an hour to get to the island," Mokuba argued. "They would have been back by now."

"Hey, I'm just throwin' ideas out there. You gotta keep your spirits up. I'm sure he's doin' just fine."

He knew Jou meant well, but it was still unsettling not knowing how his brother was doing. "_Seto isn't one to break a simple promise like this. Something is wrong… I just know it._"

"Besides, aren't you getting hungry anyways?" Jou asked, placing his hand on the back of the white, cushioned chair. "Me and Yugi were thinkin' of getting something to eat. We're both hungry, and it might be a good idea to just get out of the house, you know? Get your mind off your brother for a bit."

Mokuba shook his head no. "I'm not that hungry…"

"You sure? Kaiba would hate it if Yugi and I let you starve."

"I think he'll understand why I'm not hungry."

"Still, kid, you gotta eat something. Want me to make something? I happen to be a pretty good cook, and Yugi can't seem to find the chef."

Mokuba scoffed and smirked up at Jou. "We don't _have_ a chef, Jounouchi."

Jou's eyes widened in surprise. "What do you mean, you don't have one? You guys are richer than rich, right? What do you eat, then?"

"It might amaze you to know that Seto actually cooks the food in this house," he answered, chuckling when Jou's eyebrows rose considerably. "He gets home late, but I usually eat a big snack after school so I can wait until he gets home. Then he cooks us dinner. We're more normal than you might think."

"I'll say. Can't imagine Kaiba wearing an apron and making cake."

Mokuba laughed at the mental image. "Yeah, well, maybe not _that_ normal."

"Hey guys!"

The sound of Yugi's voice caught the duo's attention, and they both turned to see Yugi standing in the doorway. His eyes were wide as he pointed back into the living room. "There's someone on the phone asking for you, Mokuba. He didn't say who he was; he just asked for you and said that it was very important."

His first thought was, "_Could it be about Seto?_" All of the previous thoughts and possibilities rushed back into his mind as he jumped out of his seat and bolted past Yugi into the living room. Running to the telephone located on the wall, he grabbed the phone and held it up to his ear. "Y-Yes, this is Mokuba Kaiba," he answered, secretly hating how his brother's mannerisms were wearing off on him. "Who is this?"

"Mr. Kaiba, my my my…. I never thought I would speak to the younger Kaiba brother," a foreign man stated. His voice was deep, smooth, but definitely not Japanese. American, or maybe English. Mokuba frowned, and his eyebrows knit together in confusion upon hearing the man speak.

"W-Who is this?" he repeated, his brother's possible predicaments still floating in his head.

"I must say, it took me some time to patch through to you. I had to shut this place down for a few seconds just to get enough power to pass your security systems." The man was taunting him, obviously ignoring the younger Kaiba's question. "Your brother certainly has kept security in mind, even after all these years. Quite a large number of security walls he has posted. But don't worry; only my system can get through. You're still safe from viruses and what-not, and I'm not here to infect your systems."

"_What is this man talking about?_" he thought, not knowing how to respond.

"Ah, you will have to pardon me. It's been awhile since I talked with someone like this. Now, I understand that your brother is trying to fix his mental problem, correct? I would at least imagine so given the grueling tests he was forced through in the virtual reality."

Mokuba gasped. "Wh-What do you know about that?" he questioned, noticing how Jou and Yugi, who had taken their seats on the couch, now leaned forward to hear the conversation better. "Who are you?"

"Relax, relax child," the man stated. "My, my, you really do care about him. I figured as much, remembering how Gozaburo always complained that you two created the perfect tag-team. In fact, I was surprised when I discovered that your brother didn't bring you along. Must have wanted to keep you safe; he's grown to be quite an intelligent, responsible man. I'm impressed."

"You know where my brother is?" he asked, knowing this man could easily be lying to him just to get his attention.

"But of course. Want to see for yourself?"

Hearing a click behind him, he turned and blinked as the television turned on, the screen taking a few seconds to adjust. Instead of showing one of the many channels the Kaibas had available, it showed twenty separate boxes, each depicting a different place. He didn't recognize the place, although it appeared to be something like a testing facility, as the first thing he noticed was test tubes in one of the camera angles. It looked like they were watching a security monitor, with twenty different cameras revealing different areas. The screens were in color rather than black and white, yet there was obviously no sound, for he could see what appeared to be people slowly wandering about without hearing them. As his eyes scanned all of the screens available, there were two that caught his attention. One in the upper left-hand corner of the screen showed what appeared to be a machine very similar to a virtual reality chair, though Mokuba couldn't make out who it was that was sitting in it. Upon taking a closer look, he realized nobody was in it; instead, there was a man standing next to the seat waving to him through the camera. A small microphone in his ear hinted that he was the man on the phone. The second monitor which caught his attention revealed a long office, and he could make out two figures standing next to a set of double doors. From the camera's perspective, the two were at the bottom of the monitor, as though they were standing directly beneath it. Such a view made it easy to see who the two were.

"Seto!"

"Anzu!" Yugi and Jou both shouted.

"See, I know exactly where your brother is," the man stated. "I've been keeping my eye on him this whole time, after all. That woman he has with him is quite resourceful; he probably would have been killed had it not been for her."

"Who are you?" Mokuba shouted into the phone. "What do you want with us?"

"Want? What do I 'want,' you ask?" The man chuckled, and on the television he watched the man shake with laughter. "What I want is to make a bargain with the young Kaiba, but I had to shut down the power in order to do so. You see, my boss is a rather clever man, and he made sure to turn the power down to a relatively low status when we first came across these two intruders. I couldn't use the intercom system very well in such conditions, so I had to reboot the system. Whether he appreciates it or not, well… We shall certainly see."

"And what does that have to do with us?" Mokuba questioned. He was becoming irritated by this man; he was obviously full of himself and talking just to hear himself talk.

"Oh, I would think a lot. For one thing, it may surprise you to know that my boss is a Mr. Gozaburo Kaiba."

Mokuba shuddered as his eyes widened in horror. "G-Gozaburo!" he exclaimed, catching Yugi and Jou's attention once more. "He's still alive?"

"Oh, quite so. Don't worry; from what I witnessed earlier, Gozaburo made himself known in the building to the two you are so interested in. They know who they are up against. Mr. Kaiba had a similar reaction to the one you just had. You two really didn't appreciate his fine work, did you?"

"That still doesn't explain _your_ relation to all of this."

"Ah, now _that_ sounded like Seto just now! Are his mannerisms wearing off on you?" Mokuba growled; the man was wasting his time. "Besides, you asked me what _your_ relation was to all of this, not mine."

"Tell me what it is that is going on!"

"Fine, fine." The man sighed before stating, "My name is Dr. Sterner. I don't believe you will recognize my name, for I worked in Gozaburo's laboratories long before he ever adopted the two of you. I never saw you, the younger Kaiba brother, but young Seto Kaiba… I remember his visits rather well. Not to this laboratory, of course, but to several others. He is currently locked within this facility, which is still being used by Gozaburo and many other scientists. I suppose when he researched into this place, he forgot to check and see if there were still inhabitants. He paid for his mistake, I can assure you of that, although the woman with him saved him from a much harsher reality. But I digress. There have been a few…security breaches here and there, which have caused our system to collapse and some of our experiments to escape."

"Was that all your doing?" Mokuba questioned as he turned to watch the television screen. He was happy he convinced Seto to buy such a widescreen television, for the images were coming through rather well. He noticed how Seto and Anzu were looking around in confusion, seemingly surprised by the lighting in the room.

"Perhaps, perhaps not. I am not able to say at this time. Just know that I need power to be on at full capacity if I am going to use Seto."

"And what do you plan on using him for?"

"I need something that only Seto can get. He is resourceful and not tied down by having Gozaburo as his boss. He can manage the small favor. I will get in contact with him soon now that the intercom is fully functioning again. I need him to find an item for me. Once he finds it, I will be done with my work."

"And what makes you think he would agree to helping scum like you?"

"Oh, what a rude child! And here I am, granting you the opportunity of being a spectator to this incident… Well, to answer your question, I have the cure to his current mental illness."

Mokuba's eyes, which were already wide to begin with, widened considerably more at this bit of news. He stared at the phone for a few seconds before placing it back to his ear. "Y-You have… There _is _a cure?"

"Why of course! A simple procedure, really, nothing too difficult, but I need him to obtain an item before I can go about helping the poor kid. I've seen what the mental scarring in the virtual reality did to him; he is very lucky to have that woman tagging along."

"_Did he have another attack?_" Mokuba wondered as his eyes traveled from the phone back to the television set.

"You know, I am surprised that I have yet to hear a thank you," the man remarked. "And here I thought you would be worried sick over your older brother. Now you can watch as he walks around the building and make sure he is safe. Oh, but don't bother calling him; we made short work of his cell phone. Good thing they are making new ones faster than they can sell them, right?" He laughed at his own joke before saying, "Well, I must inform the young CEO of his new mission. Be sure to keep watching. If you turn the television off, I will have to reboot power just to patch you back through, and I may not want to waste the time and resources to do such a thing a second time. The first time already gave me far too much attention. Until next time, toot-a-loo!"

Blinking in surprise when the line went dead, Mokuba slowly placed the phone back on the holder and approached the side of the couch. His brother and Anzu appeared to now be talking, though he couldn't make out what they were saying. "Just who the hell was that?" Jounouchi shouted as he pointed at the television. "And what is this?"

"It… I don't know," Mokuba answered. "They are stuck…in the facility. The man who was talking to me… He said his name was Dr. Sterner. I don't know who he is, but he wants Seto and Anzu to obtain something for him. In exchange, he says he has the cure to Seto's problem."

"He has a cure?" Yugi asked.

"Supposedly."

"I don't trust this guy one bit, and I didn't even talk to him!" Jou exclaimed. "How the hell did this get on the television, anyways?"

"I don't know. He said we just have to keep watching, or else we won't be able to get it back on." A shiver went down his spine as he watched Seto and Anzu exit the room they were in. A door on another camera monitor opened, and the two's image came into view. His hands began fidgeting as he bit his lower lip. "_Seto… Please be careful…_"


	15. CH 15 : Revealed Weakness

_Author's Note: Just to serve as a sort of warning, classes start next Monday, so chapters may or may not be posted later than usual. I'll have to see just how much work I have this semester, so again, updates may be a bit slower than they have been._

_And I also just want to thank everyone for all of the comments and reviews thus far. You guys make writing this fanfiction worthwhile, and I'm glad so many people enjoy it! Thanks again!

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Chapter 15 : Revealed Weakness

"So…any thoughts on why the power went out?" Anzu questioned as the two stood in front of the double doors leading out of the office.

"Not sure," Seto answered, curiously looking around the room to make sure he hadn't missed anything. There were still no signs of life, but now the lights were powered back on, and if he didn't know better, he could swear that they were brighter than they had previously been. He returned his attention to the doors in front of them and noticed a small blinking light above. Glancing up, he blinked in surprise when he saw a camera positioned so that it was looking directly at them. "_Great. Security is probably back online. But why was it offline to begin with?_"

"Do you think someone turned off the power?" Anzu asked.

"That would be the most logical explanation, though as we have seen, logic appears to be lacking in this place."

"That's true…"

"Let's just keep going and see what we find." Opening the doors, Seto frowned when he was greeted by a pitch black room. He used his hand to feel against the wall and cautiously flicked on the light switch, hoping it wouldn't disturb any potential threats. He shaded his eyes for a few brief seconds as the fluorescent lights came to life, illuminating the entire room, before attempting to scan the room once more. What he found caused his eyes to widen in horror. "What the…?"

In the center of the room was a seat much like the virtual reality chairs he had in his laboratories within the KaibaCorp building. Wires connected to several computers located on various desks, yet the chair itself was empty, as were all the seats in front of the computer monitors and desks. Most of the computers were turned off, yet one showed an open menu with several documents available for viewing on the task bar. The room was not as long as the previous office, but from his examination, he realized that the only way out was the way they had come; there were no other entrances or exits in the room. "_This place must have been reserved for experiments,_" he concluded as he approached the remaining functional computer. Anzu's footsteps followed behind him, and he watched out of the corner of his eye as she walked towards the virtual reality chair.

"Is this…one of your inventions?" she questioned as she scanned the inside, holding her pistol towards the glass as she did so.

"It can't be; there is no possible way they could have found my equipment," he answered, sitting down in the chair to get a closer look at the monitor. There were files listed in order by date of completion, all of which seemed to pertain to one particular experiment.

"Then how did they get their hands on this?"

"Gozaburo or one of his scientists must have invented it," he answered. "Besides, they did it for Noa. It isn't that hard to believe that they made several others for testing, particularly if Gozaburo was interested in placing himself in a virtual reality."

"Does the headrest always look like this?"

"The headrest?" Frowning, he stood from his seat and advanced towards the machine until he was standing next to Anzu. Sure enough, the head cushion looked much different from the ones he created when designing his virtual chairs. His were cushioned to the best of his abilities while still performing the function of a helmet. It ensured comfort and productivity. This, however, was made entirely of metal, and several holes within the metal plating suggested that the headrest was created with the idea of doing more than supplying simple relaxation. "I've never seen anything like this before," he stated, leaning down to get a better view. "Not only would it be relatively uncomfortable for the person inside, but it would be easier for the head to move around during simulations."

"I take it that's a bad thing?"

Seto nodded. "Any outside interference can cause problems. Sometimes referred to gamers as "breaking the fourth wall," it is when a game reveals by itself that it is simply that: a game. It is usually discovered through dialogue, but basically a game's character states that he or she knows that what is occurring is in the confines of a video game. Outside interference in a virtual reality causes this to occur in an extreme condition. It jars the player in and out of the game, causing confusion and distortion. I haven't seen a fatal case of such a thing occurring, however I know of early testers for others involved in the market who had problems playing virtual games months afterwards. They seemed to be afraid of entering another existence in case their own existence collapsed."

"Sounds…dangerous."

"It is. That's why I make sure to make the headrests as comfortable and as protective as possible."

"Do you think…"

He turned to see her staring worriedly at him. "Do I think what?" he asked when she didn't continue.

"Would that be a cause for…your condition?"

The thought of outside interference had occurred to him before, but he never understood how it was possible. "_I see things that aren't there…hear things which aren't spoken… But all of which I see and hear come from what occurred in the virtual reality. At least, that's where I think it came from. I wasn't conscious through most of it, so it's hard to say. It would make sense that an outside source is responsible for what is occurring in my head. But how would Gozaburo have pulled that off? And it couldn't have been outside interference alone… The syringes, the doctors, and even Gozaburo himself… They…_"

A shiver went down his spine, and he swiftly turned away from the chair and walked back to the computer. Just as he sat down, however, a sudden wave of pain flowed through his forehead, and he groaned before placing a hand on his face. Closing his eyes, he leaned forward slightly and consciously took in deep breaths, feeling the pain slowly spread throughout his body.

"Kaiba? What's wrong?"

He could hear Anzu rushing towards him, but the sound of her footsteps died just as quickly as they started. The sensation of the syringe pricking his skin soon began coursing up his arms, causing him to shiver in his seat. There was more than one syringe…more than one prick…and a voice. "_Injection ready, sir,_" the voice said, a voice which sounded eerily similar to the man whom Seto had seen on more than one occasion. Then another prick. "_Injection ready._" Another prick. "_Injection ready._" It was like a broken record; the sensations kept repeating themselves, and he could not find the strength to open his eyes, to escape the darkness. He could see nothing; he just felt the pain of whatever it was flowing throughout his arms, then his chest, then his legs. Whatever it was, it was spreading everywhere. What was it? Another prick, always in the same place in his forearm. What…what were they doing?

"Kaiba…"

"_Stop this…_" he thought. He had to end this.

"What's happening?"

"_Please, stop this!_"

"Kaiba!" Feeling a new and altogether different sensation around his wrist, he opened his eyes and spun in his seat. Anzu was kneeling directly in front of him just low enough so that her eyes were staring right through his. "Kaiba…" she repeated, releasing a heavy sigh as she did so. He took in a large breath of air and glanced down at his wrist to see her hand holding it. Her fingers were smooth and graceful, but her grip was strong, and he groaned as she brushed against the bruises caused by the creature from the elevator.

"I…I'm sorry," he whispered, not knowing what else to say.

"There's nothing to apologize for," she responded, though she had yet to release her grip on him. "Are…are you all right?"

"Yeah…I think so, at least." Taking in another breath of air, he slowly exhaled and shook his head.

"What happened? What did you see?"

"I didn't see anything," he answered, feeling too weak to worry over his personal defenses. "I just… I _felt_ it."

"Felt what?"

He sighed and turned to look back at the computer. He suddenly felt tired, exhausted. "Nothing," he answered. "Let's just…get back to this."

"Who were you asking to stop?"

His eyes widened, yet instead of turning to face her, he looked away in the opposite direction. He had always been taught to hide his emotions, his weaknesses; it was why he had been afraid of bringing her along in the first place. "_I don't want her seeing me like this, weak and confused. I understand why she is helping me, but she now knows that I…I'm only human. I'm scared, but I can't let her know that. I can't! But she…she's seeing me like this… I can't lie to her either, can I?_"

"Kaiba…" He slowly turned to look at her, and he was surprised to discover her smiling at him. "I'm not going to harm you," she whispered. "If you…don't want to share, that's fine. Just…know that I'm here to help you, all right?"

"I…" He didn't know what to say to her. He was slowly losing his mind, and she was doing her best to reach out and grab him. He was weaker than her; she was pitying him. He suddenly felt like a child who needed his mother's support to do even the most redundant task. "_All this because of one little vision… Pull it together._" No, he had to focus. He couldn't let himself be controlled by what was happening to him. Not when they were busy trying to figure out what was going on. Not now. He didn't have to tell her…at least, he could when he was ready and when the timing was better. He shook his head and placed his hands on the keyboard, hoping that his search through the files would distract his mind. Anzu seemed to take the hint, for she placed a hand on the back of the chair and leaned forward to get a closer look at the screen.

"What do the records say?" she asked as he began scanning through the files. Pulling up nearly four reports, Seto skimmed through the beginning paragraphs, knowing that the best part to any scientist's report came first, followed by how the procedure was completed. What surprised him was the style the reports were written in; it appeared to be more of a journal update than a scientific testimony.

"They discuss a test subject that was placed inside the machine," Seto stated. "It appears that the same subject was used repeatedly, as the report lists conditions before and after being placed inside the machine. Each report is for a different day, and together they seem to hint at a decline in the subject's mental state."

"They were experimenting in here?"

"Apparently." Bringing up another batch of files, he continued skimming through when something clicked in his mind. "_Wait a minute… I know that name…_"

"Tyril Sibat…." he thought aloud, leaning back in his seat.

"Tyril who?"

"Tyril Sibat. He was an American scientist who worked for Gozaburo for several years. I remember seeing him a few times during my visits to various facilities; he was one of the best when it came to designing mechanical parts for cars and tanks used in the battlefield."

"Is he the one who wrote these reports?"

"No. He's the one who they were testing on."

"What? Why would they test it on one of their own?"

The question struck Seto hard. "_Gozaburo brought the best minds from his company to this place… Why would he waste his own resources by experimenting on them? Tyril wasn't one to test anything on himself; he was always a coward at heart, doing what he was told to do behind the scenes. He never even left the laboratory except to go home, if memory serves me right. So how did they convince him to be a test subject for a virtual reality?_"

"Where? Where are you?"

A sudden voice caught the two's attention, and they spun around as the door to the room opened, revealing a scientist standing in the middle of the doorway. He was wearing similar attire to the rest of the scientists, yet his face was clearly exposed, as his hood was down. He was a tan man with short, black hair and black eyes. He appeared to be frantically looking for something, yet he didn't seem to notice the two in the room. Seto's eyes widened upon recognition. "_Tyril! He's…alive? But the reports said—_"

"Ah, there you are!" he exclaimed, pointing towards the virtual chair. The two watched as he ran towards the machine, his arms extended outward as those he was ready to embrace an old lover. He wrapped his arms around the glass casing, his eyes closing as he gently rubbed against the machine. "Oh my goodness, I missed you so! Darling, I couldn't stand to be away from you! You, who bring me so much joy and passion! It's through only you that I can be truly happy! I am so excited to know you are okay…"

Anzu was staring at the man as though he had three heads, and Seto wasn't too far off. "_He… He's acting like the machine is a person._"

Seeming to sense that he was not alone, the man spun around and glared angrily at the two. "You… Who are you two? What have you done to my precious darling?"

"W-We haven't done anything," Anzu answered, raising her hands innocently in the air. "We were just…just looking around, is all."

"Just looking around? Why? Were you here to steal my darling?"

"Your…darling?" she inquired. Seto stood from his chair and took a step forward, not knowing what to say yet understanding that the man was unstable.

"Yes, my precious, precious darling! I place myself inside of her so that she takes me to far-off places. The beach, the city, the moon… It's all within my grasp when I'm in her arms. I can only remain in this facility while I'm out of her reach, but once I'm within… I can be wherever I want, can be whoever I want to be! I have so much freedom… Oh, if only this reality were so…"

"Where did you come from?" Seto asked, his voice holding less conviction than he wished. "We didn't run into you on the way here."

"I came from my home," he answered. "There were loud sounds, and I...I worried over the condition of my darling. I pounded ceaselessly on the door, but they wouldn't open. I heard gunfire, shouting… I was afraid they were doing terrible things to her. Then the lights went out for a few seconds. I began to panic; I thought for sure they were shutting her down. But then the lights came back on, brighter than before, and the door to my home opened. I rushed here as fast as I could… Are you sure you haven't been toying with her?"

"Yes…we're sure," Anzu stated. The man nodded and returned his attention to the machine, patting it softly as though it were a pet. Dropping her voice down to keep him from overhearing, she turned to Seto and asked, "Is this…what you were talking about earlier?"

Seto could only nod his head. He stared at Tyril in wonder, doing his best to comprehend what was happening. "_Tyril… One of the best minds working under Gozaburo…reduced to a prisoner and a crazed fanatic of a machine. What was going on here? Why would he subject himself to such torture? Did he even have a choice? And if this is the result…and they…they did something similar to me…_"

He couldn't finish his thought process. He was never one to run away, yet he couldn't face that truth. Seeing a scientist deformed into a maniac, Seto knew deep down what the situation was telling him. The idea of a cure seemed far off. He suddenly felt hopeless, as if he was staring at his future self. "_I… No, I won't accept this!_" he thought, his teeth clenching as his hands tightened into fists. "_I won't let Gozaburo ruin my life like this! I _will_ find a cure, even if it means tearing this building apart! He tortured his scientists, and he tortured me. I… I won't let him get the best of me! I still have control over my mind. I still have a chance._"

"What should we do about him?" Anzu asked, her voice quivering slightly.

"We'll leave him," Seto stated coldly. "He isn't in our way, and I don't think we'll find any relevant information in here. We should leave and try to find another way around. There is no keycard on any of these desks, and the information available is only reports, nothing pertaining to the incident at hand. We should go back the way we came and see if we can—"

An abrupt wave of feedback suddenly blasted through the room, and both Seto and Anzu flinched as it loudly interrupted their conversation. Spinning around, Seto was surprised to find an intercom located in the upper corner of the laboratory. Only a speaker could be seen; the video feed was turned off. "He-Hello…Hello?" a voice questioned. "Can anyone…me? Hello? Can anyone hear me?"

"Kaiba, it's the man from the radio!" Anzu exclaimed. "What's he doing on the intercom?"

"You…you know him?" Tyril questioned, slowly turning to face the two.

"No, we don't," Seto responded. "But I take it you do?"

"Of course. He's the one who wanted to shut my darling down."

"You mean…he wanted to turn the chair off?" Anzu asked.

"He wanted to shut her down for good!" he exclaimed, his eyes suddenly blazing with fury. "You two… You aren't normal visitors here. You were sent here, weren't you? You were sent by him to disarm my darling, weren't you?"

"N-No, we were—"

"No! I won't stand for your lies! I will protect her! I will protect my darling!"

Seeing him pull out a large pistol, Seto grabbed Anzu's arm and pulled her behind the desk with him, watching as two bullets passed them and hit the wall of the facility. Shots rang out as Tyril continued firing upon the desk, which thankfully was made of a sturdy metal. Seto whipped out his pistol as Anzu covered her head between her hands, and once the firing ceased, he peeked around the corner and aimed his pistol at the man. He could tell Tyril was trying to reload his weapon, yet the ammo appeared to be for a different weapon, for he was having trouble placing it into the magazine. Firing off two rounds, Seto watched as he cried out in pain and dropped to the floor, blood pouring out of his kneecap. He fired another round, this one hitting Tyril in the chest, and he waited for him to drop to the ground, the gun lying lifelessly in his hand.

Seto waited several seconds before standing from his position. Aiming the gun at the man, he approached him and gently kicked his arm, taking his lack of reaction as a sign of his death. Seto lowered his weapon and merely stared at Tyril. For the first time in years, he had no idea what to make of the situation. "_Tyril was one of the best. I remember visiting him, talking with him. Now…now I just killed him, and he didn't even recognize who I was. He was tortured…used as a test subject beyond the ethical bounds… He was made prisoner by his own company, a company I now own…and I just killed him out of protection._" The whole situation was entirely fucked-up. He clenched his free hand even tighter and bit his lower lip. "_Gozaburo will pay for all of this! He will suffer for everything he has done! I… If I don't find a cure, at least I will find that bastard and put him down!_"

Glancing back towards the desk, he watched as Anzu slowly stood from her position, her arms shaking as she tried composing herself by leaning on the desk. He swiftly approached her and grabbed her arm, bringing her into a sudden embrace. "I'm sorry, but there was no other choice," he said, knowing full well he said that to comfort himself as much as to comfort her. He didn't know why he felt the need to hug her, but she seemed grateful, for she wrapped her arms around him and leaned into his chest. "_Perhaps Mokuba was right,_" he thought as he peeked over at the dead body. "_Maybe having emotional support was what I needed most of all on this mission._" He closed his eyes and shook his head; he still had a job to do. Emotions…weaknesses could wait. Putting his hands on her shoulders, he pushed her out at arm's length and asked, "Are you ready to go?"

"Y-Yeah…I'm good," she answered. "Just…scared."

He nodded his head in understanding before letting his hands fall down to his sides. "I know," he whispered. "I'm scared too."


	16. CH 16 : S&S

Chapter 16 : S&S

She was tired. Tired of running in fear from whatever those creatures were. Tired of wondering over Kaiba's condition. Tired of caring if she was holding the CEO back or not.

She was just tired of everything.

The two had returned to the central column stairwell and climbed to the next level. There were two entrances on the floor; one had a set of double doors while the other, on the opposite side of the column, was a single door. Both sets of doors were locked, yet the double doors had a card reader located on the wall whereas the single door could only be opened with a key. Kaiba took out the keycard he had picked up earlier and swiped it through the card reader, and a green light blinked on, indicating that the doors were open. "Maybe we'll find an elevator in this portion of the facility," he stated. "Then we can figure out where to go from there." Standing on either side as they had previously, the two carefully opened the doors and scanned the room from their positions, making sure there was nothing to catch them off guard.

Holding her pistol up, Anzu trailed behind Kaiba as the two stepped onto a metal platform. The platform was located along the walls of the entire room, creating a sort of second floor where others could glance down into the room below. A short ladder was directly in front of them, leading down into what appeared to be a cafeteria. "Guess even scientists have to eat sometime," she noted. Most of the tables were perfectly aligned, hinting that the violence in the other rooms had yet to travel here. In the back corner was an open kitchen, where a refrigerator was slightly open and utensils were lying on the counter.

"I'm going down," Kaiba stated, placing his pistol in his pocket. "Keep an eye out for me."

She nodded and stood at the top of the ladder, listening as he descended. It bothered her how little he was telling her of his visions, but she knew the CEO wasn't one to reveal something that could be viewed as a weakness. "_I can't imagine what that Gozaburo creep did to him whenever he showed emotions,_" she thought, keeping her eyes peeled for any signs of movement. "_Even after all these years, he can't shake off the mental training he had to endure. I…I can't blame him for that, no matter how much I'd like to. I know he trusts me, else he wouldn't keep me around to keep guard. That's more than he gives most people… I suppose I should be happy, but still, I just wish he'd open up a little._"

She smirked at the idea. "_Maybe after we get out of here, we can sit down and talk. Having a heart-to-heart in this place doesn't seem all that possible._"

"Okay, I'm down," he called up. From the steps he took, Anzu counted that the ladder was ten rungs. Why there was a ladder leading down into the cafeteria was anyone's guess, but then again, these were scientists. Perhaps there was a reason that she just wasn't seeing. Shaking the thought away, she placed her pistol in her pocket and kneeled down, placing her feet on the first rung. She grabbed both bars and began descending, but her lack of energy was catching up to her. Her grip began to dwindle, and as she reached the middle of the ladder, her foot slipped, and she felt herself begin falling. Crying out in surprise, she went to grab onto the ladder, but her grip was too loose, and the bar slipped between her fingers. She braced herself for a rough impact and was startled when she felt two arms catch her. She blinked and glanced up to see Kaiba smirking down at her. "Anzu, if you had problems climbing ladders, you could have told me," he joked. Anzu frowned and quickly went to move out of his arms but was surprised when his grip around her tightened. He carried her over to a nearby metal table and set her down on the surface. "Take a minute," he said. "I'll see if there is something in the refrigerator."

Her eyes widened as he walked away from her and followed him towards the kitchen, where he opened the refrigerator and began sifting through its contents. "_Is he…worrying over me?_" she thought in surprise. "_He didn't sound angry. He must know I am getting tired. How he is still moving around with everything happening is beyond me, and he's the one dealing with those visions! Must have nerves of steel, the bastard._"

She decided, for once, to take his advice. Closing her eyes, she leaned back onto the table and spread her arms out, taking in a large breath of air before exhaling slowly. She could feel the tension in her arms begin flowing from her fingers, and she smiled at the comfortable silence. She opened her eyes and frowned upon seeing another damned camera blinking in the ceiling of the room, its lens pointed in their direction. Underneath the camera hung two intercoms, one pointed towards the entrance they came through and one pointed in the opposite direction. Again, these had no video monitors but were mere speakers. "_Fuck them,_" she thought bitterly, closing her eyes once more. "_After everything that's happened, everything I've seen, I don't care anymore. I'm going to get through this. I know Kaiba is having problems, but…if we stick together, we can do this. I know we can!_"

Hearing his footsteps approaching her, she turned her head and smiled when she saw him carrying two water bottles. He tossed her one, which she caught before it landed on her chest, before sitting on the table next to her. "If you ever have to take a break, let me know," he stated as he opened the water bottle and took a sip. "I know this place is dangerous, but it would be even worse if you were to collapse from exhaustion. I don't know how far I would be able to carry you, and it would make it easier for them to catch up to us."

She once again blinked in surprise at his sudden kindness. "Th-Thanks," she stuttered, sitting up before opening her own water bottle and drinking a large gulp of water. It was clear, cold, and refreshing, and she sighed as she took the bottle from her lips. "So why do you think this place is so orderly compared to the other rooms?"

"Who knows?" Kaiba answered. "The way the scientists are behaving, what is happening is a recent development. I guess no one was eating when all this began occurring."

"Makes sense, I suppose…" Taking another large sip of water, she swallowed the refreshing liquid before asking, "How many creatures do you think there are in this facility? I mean, they couldn't have experimented on _everyone_, could they?"

"It's hard to say," he answered. "My guess is that there aren't as many as we may believe. The problem is that the scientists are just as dangerous as the creatures."

She nodded in agreement and noticed him shiver slightly. He didn't say anything, but from the way he had hugged her after he shot the scientist, she knew the incident worried him, perhaps even frightened him. It was as if what was happening finally sank into the CEO's mind. He wasn't one to admit he was afraid, however, and the inability to speak his emotions was probably taking as much of a toll on him as the physical tension was taking a toll on her. They were both exhausted for different reasons.

"Well, we should probably get moving," he stated, closing his water bottle and pushing himself off the table. "If you want to sit here another minute, I'll scout ahead and see how many exits there are to this room. We can decide on which way we should go."

She nodded her head and took another sip of water, watching as he began walking away from her. She set the water bottle down on the table and sighed before hearing the CEO's footsteps stop. She glanced over to see that Kaiba had halted dead in his tracks. She frowned and shut her water bottle before asking, "Is everything all right?"

"I… Did you hear that?"

She frowned at the question and slowly rose herself from the table. "_Please don't be having another one of those attacks,_" she desperately thought. When his head began pounding in the testing room, she almost cried upon seeing his transformation. He became hunched over, calling out for help, asking whoever it was he was seeing to stop. In just a matter of a few seconds, the CEO of KaibaCorp was reduced to a pleading, helpless teenager. It scared her beyond belief, and at first, she didn't know what to do. She didn't know what he was seeing, what he was feeling, but her physical presence seemed to bring him back to reality. Still, the situation was terrifying, and from his eyes when he first awoke from the abrupt vision, she could tell he had been equally scared. "_It's no wonder Mokuba called the hospital when his first attack happened. He just… He was suddenly so scared, so in pain… He—_"

A swift noise of something hitting metal caught her attention, and she blinked as Kaiba turned and looked at her. His eyes were wide, and he whispered, "You heard that too?" She nodded her head, and he rushed back towards her before grabbing her arm. Pulling her behind the table, he kneeled down on one knee and motioned for her to do the same. Figuring it was as good a hiding spot as any, she did so and peeked through the metal rods that held up the table.

"What do you think that was?" she whispered, her voice beginning to shake again.

"Hell if I know. I hope it's not another one of those creatures."

She shivered at the thought. The two waited patiently for several seconds before they heard the noise again, though this time it was louder than before. It sounded to her like someone was punching or running into a wall or door. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that Kaiba was slowly pulling out his weapon, and she decided to do the same. Just as she did so, the sound of a door being slammed open reached her ears. She jumped and began breathing heavily, yet she immediately regained her composure, knowing that if she blew their cover, it would mean more than just a scolding from Kaiba. She aimed her gun in the direction the noise came from and waited until a scientist appeared on the metal platform. He was at the opposite end, however, and he jumped down another ladder before groaning in pain upon landing. His pants were torn, as was his labcoat, and his shirt was covered in blood. His red hair had dark stains in it, and as he stood back up, he shouted, "Come and get me, you sick fucks!"

The two remained stationary as scientists who were dressed in clean attire entered through the door the bloodied scientist had just come through. "Dammit, Sanderson, stand still!" they shouted as one began descending the ladder, the other carrying what looked like a shotgun. He pointed it at the man as his partner continued his way down into the cafeteria.

"No, I won't do it!" the bloodied scientist shouted back. "You guys are all sick! Sick fuckers, that's what you are! Go ahead, shoot me! Shoot me and end this now!"

"We can't do that, Sanderson, nor do we want to!" the man wielding the shotgun stated. The other man had descended the ladder and was now slowly approaching the one they called Sanderson.

"Stay back!" Sanderson shouted, holding his fists in front of him. "Stay back unless you plan on killing me!"

"Why would we kill you?" the second scientist asked, his steps becoming smaller and smaller as he got closer and closer.

"You won't because you're fucking disgusting monsters!" he shouted. "You're worse than your own creations!"

"Sanderson, you're obviously feeling some negative side effects from the antibiotics," the scientist with the shotgun remarked. "Now come with us, and we'll give you some medicine. Afterwards, you can tell us all about how your friends happened to get out of their cages. Then you can rest, and we can move on with our lives."

"No…No! I won't let you do this!"

The scientist on the ground floor reached out for the bloodied Sanderson. Anzu watched in shock as Sanderson swiftly grabbed the man's arm and pulled him forward, raising a knee and hitting the man square in the chest. He then flung the scientist over his shoulder and slammed him to the ground, placing a foot on his chest and stomping through his shirt. Hearing the bones crack, she cringed as the man cried out in pain. The scientist wielding the shotgun cried out in horror before firing two rounds from his weapon. One missed, yet the second hit Sanderson square in the back. He merely flinched, however, and growled before clenching his fists. "You created this monster. Now you'll see what happens when you try and play God!" Lifting the corpse of the second scientist from the ground, he swung the body with surprising speed into the remaining man, who was knocked to the floor of the metal platform from the impact. Sanderson then ran towards the open kitchen and, grabbing the sharpest knife he could find, hurled the weapon towards the man. The knife went directly into the scientist's forehead, who was attempting to stand and had no defense available against the attack. His body fell on top of the other corpse, and Sanderson sighed before groaning in pain. He turned his back to the two, and Anzu noticed multiple gunshot wounds in his suit, the blood being slow to spread and stain his outfit.

"You appear to be upset over the current situation," Kaiba stated. Anzu blinked and glanced over to see that Kaiba was standing, his pistol pointed towards Sanderson.

"_What the hell is he doing?_" she thought in disbelief, knowing their cover was fully blown. She slowly stood up, keeping her pistol aimed at the man as she did so. "_He better not try to blame this on me…_"

"Who the hell are you two?" the man questioned, raising his fists towards them as he did so.

"We're prisoners, just like you apparently are," Kaiba answered. The man's eyes widened.

"How do I know you aren't lying to me like everyone else here?" he slowly questioned. "You aren't wearing our attire, but that's not enough to confirm or deny your involvement in this mess."

"You can trust them because _I_ am vouching for them," a familiar voice remarked. The three turned in surprise to look up at the ceiling where the two intercoms were located. Anzu was surprised by how the audio quality was loud and clear. She also jumped slightly upon recognizing the voice; it was the man who had begun talking over the intercom while they were in the testing facility.

"Dr. Sterner?" Sanderson exclaimed, and Anzu noticed Kaiba's eyes widen upon hearing the name.

"Sterner is here?" he questioned, raising his pistol towards the intercom. "What the hell? What is going on here?"

"Glad to see that you have survived this long, Mr. Kaiba," the Sterner man replied. "How many years has it been now? At least a few. I've kept an eye on the company's stocks and productions. I know Gozaburo didn't exactly appreciate what you did to the company, but you have kept it in clear waters and with surplus profits to boot. You've done a fine job, I will give you that."

"That doesn't answer my question," Kaiba retorted.

"And it doesn't answer why I should trust these two," Sanderson added.

"Please, please gentlemen, relax," Sterner stated. "Let's take this easily. I have a bit of time before I need to log off, so give me a chance to explain. Sanderson, you are speaking with Seto Kaiba, Gozaburo's adopted son, and his female companion, whose name I have yet to determine." At this, Sanderson squint his eyes, and his eyebrows knit together in confusion. "Apparently Gozaburo tested some of his techniques on the young Kaiba, and now he is looking for a cure. This is a correct assumption, is it not, Mr. Kaiba?"

All Kaiba did was scoff.

"Very well, I'll take that as an agreement. Now, Mr. Kaiba, meet Noel Sanderson, a former scientist of Gozaburo Kaiba who has been subjected to a bit of torture and experimentation. His genetics have been modified to give him a boost of strength; however, the good scientist did not wish for these experiments and broke free the second the power went down. So you see, you both have been subjected to tests that Gozaburo forced on you. You can at least sympathize with one another over this, can you not?"

Kaiba sighed and slowly lowered his weapon, and Anzu followed suit. Sanderson, meanwhile, folded his hands over his chest and frowned at the two, scrutinizing them for any signs of danger.

"Now, Mr. Kaiba, I know what experiments were forced on you, and I would like to ask a favor from you," Sterner stated. "But first, you need to get somewhere, and quite frankly, I can tell you and your friend have no idea where the hell you are going. Sanderson, I also know of the experiments that occurred with you, as I have been here as long, if not longer, than you have. So I shall make a proposition, one that will benefit the both of you."

"And why would we want to follow your orders?" Kaiba questioned. Sanderson smirked, and Anzu realized he must have been wondering the same.

"Because I hold something that both of you want, but in order to get it, you two must do something for me. Fair is fair, right?"

"It isn't fair that you are obviously safe while we are the ones being chased by scientists," Sanderson remarked.

"Oh, that is true, but then again, that is out of my league. I can't exactly control these scientists; they are all following Gozaburo's orders like trained dogs. Oh, how Pavlovian law seems to affect even humans on such a profound level. But I digress. Sanderson, I would like you to escort Mr. Kaiba and his female companion to the security room. You surely know where it is; you broke into it in order to see where those two scientists were in order to exact revenge. Take him there, and I will give both you and Mr. Kaiba further instructions."

"And what do you have that could possibly be worth us sticking together?"

"Let's just say that you three are not the only ones disgusted by Gozaburo's handling of this facility. Besides, I—" The intercom abruptly filled with static, and both Kaiba and Sanderson groaned as Sterner's voice began going in and out. "Shit, he…just go…will contact both…Hurry!" could be heard through the intercom before the speakers turned off, the wires becoming dead.

"So…now what do we do?" Anzu questioned.

"Did you know Sterner was working here?" Kaiba asked, glancing towards Sanderson.

"No, not until recently," he answered. "However, if I were to trust anyone here, he would be it. Gozaburo doesn't exactly trust Sterner, and while the man acts crazy and maniacal at times, he is practical and intelligent. Perfect for Gozaburo, yet terrible as an enemy." He smirked and added, "I take it you met him on one of your many tours?"

"Yeah…" Anzu frowned and stared curiously at Kaiba. He seemed to be contemplating something, as if thinking back towards a bleak past.

"_Is he…okay?_" she wondered. His eyes suddenly appeared…sad. She wondered if he was just thinking over their situation or if something else triggered in his mind.

"Well, there is no use in standing around here," Sanderson replied. "I hate tagging around with others, but Sterner is also one of the top scientists here. He may have something to cure this strength that I was…_granted_. I will take you to the security room; it's on this floor. After that, I am figuring a way out of this place. You are on your own. We clear?"

Kaiba waited a full minute before nodding his head in agreement. "Fine, and in return, should we find Sterner first, we'll try and contact you to let you know where he is."

Sanderson smiled and nodded his head. "Never thought I would be tagging along with the new KaibaCorp owner," he added, chuckling at his own joke. "How is KaibaCorp doing these days? It's been years since I last saw the building…"

"Another time," Kaiba stated, his voice softer than before. "Let's just find a way out of here first."

Sanderson nodded once more before walking towards the back of the room. "Alright, follow me," he said. "And keep up. If one of those scientists or their experiments gets out, I can't guarantee your safety."

Anzu trailed behind Kaiba as he began following Sanderson towards the end of the cafeteria, where a pair of double doors awaited them. She had to wonder, as she stared at the back of the CEO's head, if he really trusted the two scientists. "_I get the feeling I'm missing something to this puzzle,_" she thought as they exited the cafeteria. "_He is never one to trust others, yet he is following this genetically-modified scientist and another scientist who has yet to show us his face. Either I'm missing something, or Kaiba is becoming desperate for answers._" And whichever answer came up, she realized she had no choice but to follow and make sure he was okay. Surprisingly enough, such a revelation caused her to smile. "_As long as I can protect him, I'll stay by his side, no matter what he decides._" That was fine by her.


	17. CH 17 : The Sacrifice

_Author's Tangent: Alrighty, this note will be a bit longer than others due to a recent scandal that has occurred. I discovered that a user on this website copied and pasted several passages from this story as well as several others I have listed on this website into his own work and then passed it as his own. This is a blatant sign of disrespect towards me, and I took the offense very personally. We have since sorted the mess out, and he has apologized on more than one occasion about the incident, but I want to clarify something while we are on this little topic._

_I write stories not only because I enjoy it, but because I love the feeling of inspiring others. If someone feels inspired to write an action or horror story because of this story, if you feel like you want to start writing because you have read my stories, then by all means go ahead. I am honored that my stories have such an impact on others. I myself am influenced by many books, movies, artists, and video games, as is everyone else. But when someone takes pieces from another, it is entirely different. When one takes what another has worked on, has dedicated themselves to, then it not only shows a lack of pride in one's own work but disrespect towards the original owner. _

_To those of you who have supported me thus far on my journey as an author, I am honored to have you by my side. You guys who write the reviews, who read my stories, who motivate me to continue updating, you guys are more than I could ask for. But for those of you who feel the need to copy and paste will be found out, sooner or later, and you will be held responsible for your actions. Perhaps I won't be the one to find out. But someone else will pick up what you stole, and then you will have nothing to show for it. _

_Sorry this had to be so long, but I felt the need to address this issue. I hope everyone can enjoy the following chapter, and we can move on with our lives. Again, to those who show me all the support, it is more appreciated than words can describe.

* * *

_

Chapter 17 : The Sacrifice

"So, Seto was it?" Sanderson inquired, glancing back towards him as they continued walking down the hallway. It was brighter than the other hallways they had come through, and Seto imagined that the power outage had something to do with it. Ever since the power went out, it seemed as though the electrical systems had been kicked back onto full mode.

"Yes," he answered curtly when he realized the man was expecting a response.

"I remember the other scientists talking about you years ago," he remarked. "Honestly, I'm still shocked that we are meeting in this way, but I guess beggars can't be choosers."

"What is that supposed to mean?" he questioned, glancing curiously at the man.

"Ever since Gozaburo adopted you, I've wanted to meet you," he explained. "You see, I knew that Gozaburo was beginning to go into biological and genetic warfare, and I wanted no part in it. I know it sounds strange, but I found it to be rather unethical. I made machinery and weapons, which caused destruction in a clarified radius. Genetics were beyond me, and they are practically uncontrollable." He chuckled and added, "I know, I know, it sounds hypocritical, and maybe it is. But that's just the way I view things… Kind of ironic now that I'm a walking, talking genetic mutation."

Seto didn't know what to make of the man. On one hand, he wanted to punch him square in the face. He had seen first-hand the damage done by the weapons Gozaburo created, weapons that this man had an involvement in designing, and the thought of this man calling another weapon 'unethical' was almost laughable. On the other hand, Seto had done things he later regretted in life in order to get ahead, so who was he to judge? He frowned and merely followed behind Noel, crossing his arms over his chest as he did so.

"So how long have you two been in this facility?" Noel asked after they turned a corner and began passing several windows which looked into the many offices.

"We aren't really sure," Anzu answered when Seto refused to speak.

"How did you even find this place? As far as I understand things, Gozaburo worked for over a year to make sure no one would discover this facility."

"I located some files concerning it in the KaibaCorp archives," he answered. "When we came here, we were ambushed and taken prisoner."

"And why did you want to come here?"

"I needed to investigate into something."

"Oh…" Sensing the CEO's animosity, Sanderson dropped the conversation and continued leading the duo down the hallway. Seto peeked into several offices to find them all empty and realized that a majority of the rooms were dark. One room had the lights blinking on and off, indicating that the lights had burst or been shot out, and for a split second, he thought he saw the scientist from his dreams standing in one of the rooms, smiling wickedly at him.

Turning away from the windows, he shivered slightly before shaking his head. "_Pull it together!_" he mentally shouted at himself. "_I cannot let this man know what is happening to me. He is stronger than Anzu and I combined, and if I show weakness, he may take that suspiciously and retaliate. I don't trust him as much as I want to, but I can assume that the feeling is mutual. After all, he was ready to attack us before Sterner came on the intercom and stopped him._"

The group turned another corner, and Seto growled at how slowly they seemed to be progressing. "Where is this security room, anyways?"

"On the opposite side of the facility," Sanderson replied.

"Can you explain to us what happened here?" Anzu questioned, and both men stopped to look back at her. Seto blinked in surprise at her expression; she looked fierce, determined to find some answers. He couldn't help but smirk at her. He was rather impressed by her recent behavior. It was becoming evident that he had been wrong about her. A snotty cheerleader without a spine would not have made it this long without breaking down, yet she was still maintaining herself despite her fatigue. He was also becoming quite exhausted, and while he was doing his best to maintain a façade of confidence, he knew sooner or later he would have to take time out to sit down. The moment in the cafeteria did nothing for him.

"What do you mean?" Sanderson asked, frowning in confusion at her.

"When we woke up in this facility, there were scientists panicking and worrying over released experiments," she explained. "Do you know what happened that caused all of this?"

Sanderson chuckled and glanced into a nearby office. "If we are going to talk, let's go in here," he stated. "That way, if someone comes by, they won't be able to directly spot us."

The two nodded in agreement, and they swiftly entered the adjacent room. There were computers and desks lined along the walls, and in the center of the room was a small table with some cups of what appeared to be coffee sitting around the edges. The three walked past several desks and knelt down on the floor before turning out the lights. The room was somewhat illuminated by the lights in the hallway, but from their position, it was nearly impossible for someone in the hallway to see them immediately. Even with these precautions, Seto didn't like their position, but he too wanted some answers.

"All I can tell you is what I know," Sanderson began, eyeing the two suspiciously. "And what I know is very little. However, if you are looking to _me_ for answers, and if Sterner feels it important for me to escort you, then I see very little trouble with telling you what I know. How far do you want me to go back?"

"Just give us anything you can," Anzu pleaded. "We need information badly."

Nodding his head, he cleared his throat before looking directly at the two. "I was brought here under the pretext that I would be continuing to work on machinery under Gozaburo. This was about three years ago. What happened was…well, it wasn't in the contract. I, along with several of my peers, were knocked unconscious on our way down into the facility and drugged into submission. We were helpless, and I know for a fact that several of my friends died during the incident. Apparently they tried fighting back and, needless to say, they didn't make it. Gozaburo had trained the scientists already working here on how to properly wield guns, which, as you can see, hasn't done shit for them. Almost every scientist I have come in contact with has been killed by an experiment. But anyways, I was experimented on for over a year. I had no strength in my system, but I was aware of what was happening. Not once did I see Gozaburo in person, and I began to wonder if I had stumbled into some hellish facility on accident. I kept thinking that Gozaburo would never do this to me, that this had to be a mistake."

"As it turns out, he was the one responsible for everything. I saw him for the first time in a year and a half on a television monitor. I asked where he was, what he was doing here, why I was being used in this fashion. He explained that he had put himself inside some sort of virtual reality machine, which meant nothing to me at the time and still confuses me to this day. He was running the show in this facility from the safety of his chair, and he had tricked me and my fellow scientists into coming here in order to protect himself. You see, I worked on several…illegal operations during my time with Gozaburo, as did my fellow colleagues. When he switched over to biological and genetic weaponry, the bastard feared that I and the others would rat him out to the police, telling them everything we did. Apparently, the fact that I would have been just as screwed as he by telling the authorities such a thing never occurred to him. So, to show us his appreciation for our hard work and dedication, he injected us each with a different genetic mutation. Most of my friends didn't survive, and the ones who did went insane. I'm the last survivor in my category of experimentation and modification."

"What did they do to you?" Seto asked, the information slowly sinking in. It was strange to think that all of this was happening while he maintained KaibaCorp on the surface.

"They kept me in some sort of gas chamber. The gas would in effect paralyze me, and when they took me out to do experiments, I would be numb to whatever it was they were doing. That was for two years. This previous year, they had me training in some sort of virtual simulator. They wanted to make sure that what they were doing to me was working. It did, as you can tell, for now I have the strength of a fucking monster." Sighing, he shook his head and said, "This is the last thing I ever wanted. I had a family, a life at home… And I lost it all because of that man." He clenched his fists and glared at the two. "That's why I am trying to find the bastard and make him suffer. If I die in here, then so be it. I highly doubt I have anything left waiting for me on the surface. But if I can make Gozaburo feel even a sliver of the pain he has caused me over the past several years, it will be enough to make me die without regret."

The two sat silently, staring in wonder at the man. Seto's hands clenched and unclenched on their own as his breathing became labored. "_Gozaburo…you fucking monster! How could you do this to people?_" Remembering his own torture, he quickly realized how possible it was for the man to do such a thing. "_All the beatings he gave me, all the threats and torture he put me through just to push me to my limit… Is it really such a shocker that he used those same tactics on his own employees? Still, the immoral bastard… I just…_"

"What about you?" Sanderson suddenly questioned, turning his gaze to Seto. "What is the stepson of that old bastard doing here?"

"_Adopted_ son," he corrected. "And I am here…because Gozaburo experimented on me in the virtual reality you mentioned earlier. We are here looking for a cure."

"I see. Well, if you are searching for treatment, then it is a good thing that Sterner seems interested in you. He has the wherewithal on that stuff; I am sure, if you do what he asks, that he'll get you what you want."

"Why are you so trusting of him when you attacked those scientists who were following you before?" Anzu questioned.

"When you have been stuck inside a room for three years, you hear a lot of things and observe a great deal more," he replied, smirking at he did so. "The name Sterner came up frequently, oftentimes at odds with the man in charge, whom everyone always called 'the Boss.' As I said before, it took a good while to figure out just who 'the Boss' really was, but anyways… Sterner was apparently signed on as the leading scientist, but he and Gozaburo never saw eye to eye on anything. I don't know what the arrangement was for or why Gozaburo did it, but Sterner did some extensive work on whatever it was they were doing. Do you remember him, Seto?"

"Yeah, a bit," he answered. "He—"

"Shit! Get down!"

Seto blinked in surprise as he saw flashlights come into view. He, Anzu, and Sanderson pushed themselves to the floor, hoping to remain flat and undetected. The lights from the flashlights indicated three people, and his breath caught in his throat when he saw the scientists approach the window and begin looking into the office. He could tell they were talking, but the windows must have been made from the same glass as the other office windows, for he couldn't hear what they were discussing. It was several minutes before they left, going in the direction the trio had come from. It was a full minute later until they even dared to budge.

"We should probably get moving," Sanderson noted, standing and peeking outside the window. "If we stick around here for too long, they will begin investigating even further into our disappearances, and I can't imagine the loose CEO is something Gozaburo likes hearing about."

"Yeah..."

"It's just down the corridor here and around the corner," he stated as the door leading back into the hallway opened. "We can just take this pathway here and—"

An abrupt gunshot fired off from the hallway, and Seto's eyes widened as he saw Sanderson flinch from the bullet wound. "Sanderson!" he shouted, standing and pulling out his pistol in order to assist the man.

"Shit, don't worry about me!" he shouted, smiling at the two. "I'm a monster; I won't die so easily. Here…" Seto watched as he hastily took out a keycard from his pocket and tossed it to him. He easily caught it and glanced over it. The front read SECURITY-PERSONNEL ONLY. "Take this and run! You have the directions! I'll distract them!"

"Sanderson, don't!" Anzu shouted, standing and reaching her hand out to stop him. But it was too late, and Seto watched as he rushed past the windows in the direction of the scientists, gunshots firing past him as he did so.

"Come on, we don't have time!" he shouted, grabbing Anzu's hand and running out of the room. Hearing the three scientists shout upon recognizing him, he turned to see Sanderson grab one of the scientist's hands and twist it back, the sound of the bone breaking reaching his ear. "_Shit…he's not going to make it,_" he realized, for he could tell that the man had taken some heavy fire. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he turned and began running in the opposite direction.

"H-Hey, what are you doing?" Anzu shouted at him. He could hear her footsteps behind him as he continued running, his eyes scanning for a corner that would lead to the security room. There was only one intersection, yet the hallway went both ways.

"What does it look like? I'm running!" he countered angrily.

"But what about—"

"Forget about him! He told us to go, so we're going!"

"But…But…!"

Reaching the intersection, he looked both ways and immediately noticed a room with a card reader beside the electronic doorframe. The door had blood stains on it, which made his stomach turn, yet he rushed forward and placed the keycard in the reader. His hands shook as he waited impatiently for the reader to grant him access, for the gunshots were beginning to become scattered. It meant that Sanderson was holding his own or that he was being subdued. After a few grueling seconds, the light blinked green and the door slid open. Bolting inside, he waited until Anzu entered before pressing the button to shut the door tight. He then pressed another button in order to lock the door.

"You're just leaving him out there?" Anzu asked, her voice angry and loud.

"What do you want me to do?" he responded, his breathing heavy and his stomach feeling suddenly nauseous. "He told us to leave; he made his choice."

"But we could have—"

"What could we have done, Anzu?" he shouted, his eyes widening as his anger began pouring out. "We could have protected him, but at what cost? We would have been shot, wounded, perhaps even killed! Then what? Everything we worked on until this point would have been for nothing. He knew what he was doing when he told us to run. Would you disrespect what may be his final wish?"

Seeing tears well up inside her eyes, he frowned and closed his eyes. He could feel the energy in his body giving out, and he let himself fall to the floor on his knees. He wrapped his arms around his stomach and listened as the steps of the security officers passed by the room. He could hear them speaking, and one was complaining about having a broken wrist. He felt his gut wrench at the statement but then heard another complain about how the attacker moved so quickly. They seemed to be arguing, and as Seto pressed his ear against the door, he could hear them complaining about losing the attacker and his companions. One scientist thought for sure it was him, Seto Kaiba, but the others weren't, as they had been busy defending themselves from the attacker. The scientists' voices soon diminished, indicating that they did not suspect their presence in the security room, and after a few seconds, Seto released a heavy sigh.

Deciding to take a chance look, he opened the door and glanced both ways to see that the hallway was empty. He sprinted to the intersection and peeked around the corner only for his weakened stomach to do another turn. Sanderson's body was nowhere to be found, but the amount of blood on the floor and walls indicated a swift yet gruesome fight. "_Three guns against one man… Did I really think he would get out unscathed? Of course, he was the one who ran forward, but…_"

He quietly walked back to the security room and shut the door. Glancing at Anzu, he shook his head before closing his eyes. "_I can't keep this up,_" he thought as leaned against the door. Taking in a large breath of air, he slowly exhaled before opening his eyes. His lips parted on their own as he glanced over at Anzu; tears were falling down her cheeks, and a pang of guilt suddenly swept through him. Taking a few steps forward, he held up his hand and brushed away a few tears. "The man made his choice," he repeated, though his voice was much softer. "He wanted to protect you and me, and he sacrificed himself for that. Who knows? Maybe he's not really dead…"

"You don't believe that," she retorted angrily.

"Those scientists said their attacker escaped. That means he is still alive." Looking around the room, he was happy to see that they were indeed inside the security room. A large computer with what appeared to be nearly twenty monitors was placed along the left wall with several leather, empty chairs in front. From their position, they could see on the cameras where everyone was. Returning his attention to Anzu, he said, "This is where we need to be anyways. Sterner should contact us soon with directions. Then we can—"

"Then we can what? Pretend that what just occurred never happened? Pretend that we didn't just send someone to their death?"

Seeing her burst into tears on the spot moved a piece of Seto's heart that hadn't moved in years. He swiftly grabbed her hand and pulled her forward, wrapping his arms around her torso and placing her head against his shoulder. He gently began rubbing her back with his left hand, allowing his right hand to smooth out pieces of her hair. "I'm sorry," he whispered, listening as she sobbed into his shirt. "There is nothing we can do. We have to focus on our own survival. If we get to Sterner, I'll make sure to ask him on Sanderson's condition. You have my word. But right now, we have to stay alive and move forward. I know… I know it's hard. Trust me, I've felt helpless before." He couldn't believe how quickly his wall was coming down, how easily it suddenly was for him to be voicing such information. But it felt safe and somehow…comforting. "I… I was a victim of Gozaburo's cruelty long before this all began. I know what it's like to feel alone, to feel ashamed for events that you feel you could have done something about. Believe me, I know." Glancing down at her, he was secretly happy to see her looking back at him. "But if we keep our focus, we will get out of here. Sanderson helped us; we can't die now. Not after what just happened. And there is a chance he is still alive. Definitely hurt, but alive. Let's just wait for Sterner to contact us. We can stay in here for a bit. The door is locked, and we are safe for the time being. Just… Let's keep pushing forward, okay?"

He could hear her swallow hard, yet she nodded her head before placing it back on his shoulder. Not having the heart to push her away, he merely continued rubbing her back and playing with her hair, knowing that the soothing motions were calming him down as well. "I…I trust you," she said after several seconds passed, causing him to blink in surprise. "I'll follow you… I really trust you, Kaiba. I just… I didn't think we would ever see… Do you…think we will ever see him again?" Her voice was quiet, barely audible even to him. Not knowing what to say, he lightly shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know. I hope so. I need to thank him for the information."

She nodded once more and whispered, "I hope so too. And I'm… I'm sorry for this."

"Don't be, Anzu," he stated. She glanced up at him, and he shook his head. "Don't be." Her lips trembled, and she leaned against the CEO once more, a few final tears falling down her face and onto his shirt. It was the first time in years that he didn't see emotion as a sign of weakness.


	18. CH 18 : Acceptance

_Author's Note: I just want to say that all of the comments concerning the matter from before were greatly appreciated. I'm glad everyone is enjoying the story, and I hope things continue to intrigue and excite you readers. You guys are the best!

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Chapter 18 : Acceptance

_The computer monitors were black, all staring back at him, showing him only emptiness. The entire room was cold, silent, vacant, and unsympathetic towards him and his goal. He was sitting in the leather chair in front of the monitors, waiting for something to happen. He could sense another presence, but it wasn't Anzu. No, it was something entirely different, something menacing. He didn't want to see it. He wanted to rest, to relax. He wanted to just close his eyes and fade into nothingness. But the veil of nothingness was staring back at him, and he knew there was something there… He just couldn't put his finger on it…_

_He frowned when a sudden noise gained his attention. It was coming from one of the monitors, yet it sounded strange, like water draining. Leaning forward to get a better look, he blinked when he noticed something slither out between the crease of the screen and the metallic sheeting. It was a red liquid, and, squinting his eyes, he understood immediately what it was: blood. He slowly leaned back in his chair, his eyes never leaving the trail of blood now seeping out of the monitor. Noticing another trail, he glanced up and gasped in horror when he realized that all of the screens were beginning to drip blood. He wanted to back away, to run away from the vision, but it was so terrifying that it glued him to the spot. It had to be a vision, right? Of course… Of course it had to be. The blood was now gushing out, running down the screens and onto the keyboards, dripping onto the floor. _

_Vision or no, it frightened him. He stood out of the leather chair and began taking steps back, yet the blood kept seeping towards him. He looked around and felt a mixture of relief and terror upon seeing no sign of Anzu. Deciding to make his escape, he ran towards the door, hoping it would be unlocked. Realizing it wasn't, he went to jam the button to open it only to jump back in shock. The button was now oozing the same blood the monitors were, creating a stain down the metallic wall. "What…what is happening?" he thought aloud, watching as the blood trails began to intertwine, all leading towards him. _

_Taking one step back, then another, it dawned on him that he was trapped. He looked at the monitors once more and was surprised to see a faded reflection in several of the screens. He turned in the direction of the reflection and was startled to see the scientist from before. He was smiling at him with a twisted smile, and his hand slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out an empty syringe. "Syringes are sanitized, sir," he stated, his smile only widening. He watched as blood began dripping from the end of the needle, landing in what was now a pool of blood on the floor. His head began aching, and as he took a step back, he slipped in the blood and fell to the ground, groaning at the hard, metal floor. The scientist approached and leaned over him, the syringe still in his hand. He waved it in front of his face, and a drop of blood fell onto his cheek. "Syringes are sanitized, sir," he repeated, continuing to wave the syringe. "Syringes are sanitized….sanitized, sir. Syringes are sanitized, sir." The blood surrounding him stuck to his body, and he cried out as he felt himself be sucked into the floor below.

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_

Swiftly opening his eyes, Seto glanced around at his surroundings and jumped upon seeing the monitors in front of him. Realizing that they were all turned on, granting him view of the many offices and testing rooms within the facility, he sighed in relief before leaning back in his seat. "You okay?" Anzu questioned, and he peeked over to see her smiling down at him. She was standing next to the chair, and one of her hands was placed on the armrest. "You don't look like you slept well. You're jumpy."

"Yeah…"

"Bad dream?"

He nodded his head before rubbing his eyes. "How long have I been out?"

"Only fifteen minutes or so. Sterner has yet to get in contact with us, so don't think you missed anything."

"Sorry about this," he stated as he stretched his arms out. "I just…needed a moment to close my eyes. My stomach was hurting, too. Probably from all the blood we've seen so far. Didn't think I would fall asleep in this chair, though…"

She chuckled and shook her head. "It's okay. I took a little break as well, so you aren't alone. It felt nice despite having to sit on the floor."

"You should have sat in one of the chairs," he argued.

She shrugged her shoulders before sitting in the chair next to him. Smiling at him, she asked, "Do you feel refreshed?"

"A bit, surprisingly," he answered. "Naps tend to energize me more than actual sleeping, though I suppose that is changing now with my condition."

"What does that mean?" she questioned, staring curiously at him.

He shook his head before turning his attention to one of the monitors. "I just don't sleep well," he replied.

"There has to be more to it than that."

"Maybe…"

"Yes, maybe."

"What does it matter?"

"You're the owner of a company. You should be sleeping well."

"Yeah, well, I don't."

"Have you tried taking something for—"

"Why hello you two!"

The abrupt voice caused the two to jump back in their seats. Seto pushed himself to the edge of the chair and examined the keypad, finding a voice intercom located next to the large keyboard. He pressed a green button and leaned forward towards a small microphone. "Sterner, is that you?" he questioned. A laugh was all the answer he needed. "Where the hell are you?"

"Oh, I am safe and sound for now in my personal testing facility," Sterner answered. "Just like you two are safe in our security room, I'm safe in my headquarters. I am quite honored that you are concerned over my safety, however. I feel quite complimented."

"_This guy is going to drive me crazy…as if I wasn't already on my way to the insane asylum,_" he thought bitterly as he returned his attention to the monitors. None of them showed an office with a man inside, and pressing the button, he asked, "Why can't we see you in the security room?"

"Oh, you see, I like to experiment with things I'm not supposed to," Sterner answered. "So Gozaburo granted me the privilege of not having a camera in my headquarters. He is regretting such a decision now, as he can't track me quite so easily, but that's his problem, not mine."

"Why are you helping us?" Anzu questioned, leaning forward to have her voice heard.

"It's a simple matter of mutual principles," he replied.

"And what does that mean?" Seto asked when he didn't continue.

"It means that you have the ability to find something I want, and in exchange, I have something you want. You get me what I want, you get what you want. I don't really understand why I have to repeat this to you."

He sighed in frustration before asking the question that had been on his mind since Sterner had first come in contact with them. "And what is it that you have that we would possibly want?"

"Oh, don't be so foolish, Mr. Kaiba. Why are you even here in the first place?"

His eyes widened in surprise as Anzu lunged forward and slammed her hand on the button. "You have a cure?" she exclaimed.

"Of course! I can cure Seto's hallucinations and dementia symptoms in a few, short, simple steps right here in my facility! I imagine they are becoming much worse than what they were originally, am I right? From the trials we ran prior to testing you, the progression of symptoms was supposed to be rather sharp."

Seto bit his lower lip before moving Anzu's hand from the button. Pressing it down, he asked in a shaky voice, "Do you have any idea what the hell is going on in my head?"

"Naturally. I was one of the leading scientists in charge of the project."

His free hand clenched into a tight fist. "You were responsible for doing this to me?"

"Not one bit. I didn't even know Gozaburo was planning on using this on you; I was under the impression he was going to use it to get rid of his useless son. That Noa kid has been a pain in his side over the past several years. I thought it was a quick and easy way for him to simply dispose of the brat, but then again, Gozaburo has lied to me and the rest of the crew here on several occasions over the past couple of years. Doesn't surprise me he didn't have the balls to tell me what he was really planning. But I have a few minutes to explain it if you want… I'm just not sure you have the few minutes…"

"And what does that mean?"

"It means that Gozaburo has released most of the experiments within this facility in the search for you two. Apparently he would rather have you killed than suffer from your hallucinations at this point in the game. While I have cameras monitoring the major areas of the facility, I don't have vision of every little nook and cranny. So if something is coming your way, I won't be able to tell you until it's practically right outside your door."

Taking in a large breath of air, he slowly exhaled and said, "Please tell me what is happening to me."

"Well, you saw the virtual reality machine that our friend Tyril was so cherished with," he began. "You must have taken note of the rather crude headrest within the seat. We made the seat in such a way for it to be uncomfortable for the person sitting inside. Once trapped within the virtual reality, the headrest would begin a slow, steady vibration, jerking the head ever so slightly without causing a disruption within the virtual reality. However, we discovered that if the user were to experience something traumatic in the virtual reality, the vibrations from the outside world would cause something of a permanent imprint. The images seen in the real world would become distorted by the experiences within the virtual reality due to the small, yet imperative, outside influence. You, Mr. Kaiba, were our first true subject for this process. Mr. Sibat was our first test subject for the virtual reality itself, and it was he who showed us how influential the experiences within the virtual reality could be towards behavior in real life. We began testing ways in which to distort the user's behavior, and the headrest was a key factor. We discovered how significant the comfort and safety of the head was during simulation times, and by tweaking a few knobs here and there, we realized how damaging a headrest could really be. So, to summarize, Mr. Kaiba, you are suffering from witnessing a traumatic experience in the virtual reality and having outside influences in the real world. The mixture of the two has caused what a doctor would call a slight form of dementia."

He didn't know what to say; it was what he had feared all along. He leaned back in his chair and stared at the microphone, the news being hard to sink in. Gozaburo had caused him mental scarring in the virtual reality, which then translated over to the real world. It was why he was seeing visions and images taken from the virtual reality in his nightmares as well as in reality. It was so simple…and yet he didn't want to accept it. Being told by the scientist in charge of creating the process forced him to acknowledge the facts.

"But you said you have a cure…" Anzu trailed off.

"I do, very much so," Sterner answered. "All we have to do is put Mr. Kaiba into a specialized virtual reality machine, which I have sitting in my facility. We undo what caused the visions; we create a comforting, secure environment around the head and create a pleasant experience in the virtual reality. Mr. Kaiba will never forget what he went through in the virtual reality, but the real life damage will slowly fade away."

"How is that possible?" Seto asked. "Last time I went into a virtual reality, my mind nearly imploded on itself."

"I told you, it requires a _specialized_ virtual reality machine," he stated. "A model you most likely do not own or have yet to create."

"So if we find whatever it is you want us to find, you will give Seto the treatment he needs?" inquired Anzu.

"Of course. Mutual dealings, for the third time now. Mutual means going both ways."

"We know what mutual means," Seto replied crossly. "How do we know we can trust you?"

"Two reasons. First of all, what I want you to find will help me shut down this facility for good. I hate Gozaburo and have for years. I never liked working under him, and I was in the process of quitting when he forced me to work for him in this facility. He took me from my home and brought me here; I've been stuck ever since. I don't like being made prisoner, and I feel it is time he paid for his crimes. I know you were beaten as a child by that man, Seto, and I think we can both agree on the concept that he needs to suffer a little."

Seto frowned and noticed Anzu shoot a look of horror in his direction. Ignoring her, he asked, "How the hell do you know about that?"

"I was asked to create several chemicals and toxins that would have permanently damaged you before Gozaburo became interested in raising you as the next KaibaCorp president over Noa. I refused to do such a thing, which is the second reason you should trust me. I've never wanted to hurt you before; there is very little reason why I should start now."

Staring for a long minute at the microphone, Seto sighed in frustration and closed his eyes. "_I can't believe this… I honestly cannot believe this. He asked for poisons to use against me? I just… I fucking can't believe this…_"

"Kaiba…"

Blinking in surprise, he glanced over to see Anzu staring worriedly at him. He frowned; he knew he wasn't going to get out of this one quite as easily.

"Mr. Kaiba, are you still there?"

"Yeah, I'm here," he answered, pressing the button before doing so. "What item is it that you want?"

"Oh, I'm so glad to hear that you wish to work together. This makes me quite happy. Now, I need you two to find an elevator on this floor. It's somewhat hidden; you have to go through another testing room that is located between the cafeteria where you found Sanderson and this room. It should be easy to recognize once you enter it; it's one of the larger testing rooms in this facility. When you get to this elevator, slide the card you have and press L4. You getting all of this?"

"Yes, I understand," Seto answered.

"Okay. Now, when you get to the 4th floor, you'll come to an archives area that seconds as a small laboratory. You'll need to go through there and find another laboratory. At least, I believe it's in there. Whatever the case is, what I need is on that floor, so if you have to tear everything apart in order to find it, by all means do so."

"And what is it that you want us to find?"

"A keycard, similar to the one you have but different. It's entirely made of metal and should have a blue glow to it. The front will read "RX789," though I highly doubt you will remember this. It's the only key made to gain access to the elevator leading to my facility. My friend had it but was killed by an experiment when Gozaburo took down the safety protocols. He died on that floor, but whether the keycard is on his body or not, I don't know. Once you have it, return to the elevator and swipe the card. The elevator will take you directly to my station."

"Why do you need a key to your own place?" Anzu questioned.

"I have a machine in my facility that can redo any keycard, granting me access to nearly every room in this facility. I need that specific key in order to rewrite the code so that we can enter Gozaburo's laboratory. But that is for another time… It looks like you have some company."

At that moment, both he and Anzu jumped at the sound of banging against the entrance. Anzu bolted out of her seat as Seto stood and stared in horror. He could hear grunting noises, and turning back to the monitors, he could see something hideous standing outside their doorway. He couldn't make out what it was, but it looked far from human.

"If you make it out, feel free to follow the instructions given," Sterner remarked. "Be careful out there, and try not to die. I'm not the only one watching you two, and I would hate to hear the poor kid cry over his lost brother."

"What? Mokuba?" Slamming the button down, Seto cried out, "What the hell have you done with him? Where is he?" But the line went dead, and in a fit of rage, he slammed his fist down onto the button, causing it to sink into the metal plating.

"Kaiba!" Anzu exclaimed, and Seto swallowed the lump in his throat when he heard the creature bash against the door once more.


	19. CH 19 : Good Or Bad?

_Author's Note: So, I love all the comments and thoughts people are having concerning Sterner…so I thought I'd dedicate a little chapter to him to clear up some background information. Don't worry; this was a planned chapter to begin with, as the whole story is already planned out, but I enjoy knowing that he has created a bit of curiosity! :D

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Chapter 19 : Good…Or Bad?

"Holy shit…what the hell just happened?" Jounouchi questioned as he leaned forward in his seat. His voice was softer than usual, most likely due to the shock they were all feeling upon seeing the events unfolding on the screen. "That guy was nearly shot to death…and Kaiba and Anzu just ran for it? What the hell…?"

Mokuba shivered in his seat as he brought his knees up to his chest. He didn't know what was happening anymore. He simply could not comprehend what was transpiring. Kaiba and Anzu were now locked in some room, a room he could not see on the monitor. Having watched the other man take the heavy gunfire for the two, he realized how little he understood his brother's situation. "_That guy had to be a good guy, right?_" he thought as tears began forming on the edges of his eyes. "_I mean, he sacrificed himself so that Seto and Anzu could escape. At least, that's what it looked like. And he got away, too, though I've never seen someone move so fast in my life. And there are monsters roaming all over the place…_"

Indeed, as his eyes wandered over the separate screens, he could see more and more creatures breaking out of separate rooms and wandering down the hallways. Many scientists were scavenging the remains, killing the experiments on sight, but the majority that went into battle were killed by the vicious beasts. Some looked like deformed humans, others looked like zombies, and still others looked like nightmarish beasts. "_And now we lost sight of Big Brother and Anzu again… Where are they?_"

"Should we try calling them again?" Yugi inquired, glancing over towards Mokuba.

"No, there's no use," he answered sullenly. They had tried calling Kaiba's number multiple times, and each time the phone rang, it was cut off by the second or third ring. Someone was obviously opening and closing the phone quickly enough to cut off the connection, which meant that someone had the CEO of KaibaCorp's possessions in hand.

"Grrr, so what the hell do we do?" Jounouchi shouted. "Do we just sit here and watch as they are attacked by these monsters?"

"There's really nothing we _can_ do," Yugi noted. "Even if we could, that Sterner guy obviously has connections to this house. He was able to call us and set up this video streaming." Sighing, he added, "At least Kaiba is being rather protective of Anzu. He seems to be worrying over her as much as she worried over him."

"Seto wouldn't just leave her behind in this sort of situation," Mokuba argued. "I know he is cruel in business dealings, but when it comes to personal relations, Seto isn't that bad of a person."

"You gotta remember, Mokuba, that we were never on your brother's good side," Jounouchi remarked. "Still, gotta hand it to him. I never thought I'd see the day he hugged a chick, especially Anzu."

"Has your brother ever had a girlfriend, Mokuba?" Yugi asked.

Mokuba shook his head no. "He just never had the time, and now that it's been so many years, I'm not sure he even wants one. I kept telling him during high school to find himself someone, if only just to see what it was like having a girlfriend, but he felt that all the girls were either stupid or wanted him for his money. I can't blame him, as it was probably true most of the time, but still… I always wanted him to have someone other than me to hang out with. I'm not going to be here forever, you know."

Yugi and Jounouchi nodded in unison. "Wouldn't it be ironic if those two end up hooking up?" Jounouchi remarked, smirking as he did so.

"I can't say I'd be that surprised," Yugi retorted. "I mean, I know it sounds cliché and cinematic, but a lot of people develop deeper emotions when they are put under extreme conditions. It's just the way humans are. I think that, if they don't begin dating afterwards, they will certainly have a much greater respect for each other."

Mokuba chuckled and shook his head. Here they were, discussing his brother's romantic life, as he and Anzu were trapped in a facility full of psychopathic scientists and demons from Hell. It was so surrealistic… What was that old saying? That truth was stranger than fiction, or something along those lines? "_Our trips with the Pharaoh during all of these card game tournaments have proven that true,_" he thought. "_It's just… Seto's been through so much already. To see him having to deal with this… I wonder if he will ever be able to just sit down and live a normal life._"

The noise of the phone ringing jarred them all out of their thoughts, and Mokuba bolted out of his seat and rushed to the phone. Lifting the receiver, he asked, "Hello, who is this?"

"Oh, Mokuba, who else would be calling you at a time like this?"

Mokuba growled; it was Sterner.

"Now, would you be a good boy and put the phone on speaker phone? I know you have others with you; Mr. Kaiba wouldn't dare leave you alone in the comforts of your own home. Besides, someone may recognize my name, and I would like to say hello." Sighing in frustration, Mokuba slowly clicked the speakerphone button before setting the receiver back down. "Am I on?"

"Yes."

"Good, good. Hello out there, to whomever is caring for the younger Kaiba brother." Both Yugi and Jounouchi frowned at the man's voice, and Jounouchi clenched his fists tightly.

"What is it ya want now, you slimy bastard?" he shouted, standing out of his seat.

"Oh, now that doesn't sound like a security guard," Sterner noted. "If it is a friend who is taking care of you, I must admit I'm shocked. Mr. Kaiba never had friends when he was a prisoner of Gozaburo, but I suppose they might be your friends instead."

"What is it you want with us?" Yugi questioned, his voice loud enough to travel to the phone.

"Well, I just wanted to call and let you know that your brother and the girl are safe and sound," he answered. "I know the video feed I gave you doesn't show the security room, but he and the girl are okay. They have locked themselves inside, and after I'm done with this short call, I will be informing them of their mission."

"Which is…?" Mokuba inquired, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I need the two of them to find a keycard for me. I want to shut down this facility, but I can't leave my office due to Gozaburo's access to the security and personnel files. So I am getting Seto and his girlfriend to do it for me. Once they hand over the card, I can rewrite it and help bring this place to its knees. In exchange, I will give Seto the cure he so desperately desires."

"Will you honestly give it to him?" asked Yugi.

"Of course! It's a simple procedure, really, nothing too complicated. Besides, I invented his cure. I might as well use it before I trash this place and everything ever created in it."

"Why do you want to destroy the facility?" asked Mokuba. "Don't you work for Gozaburo?"

"Yes, but not because I chose to. Nobody in this forsaken facility _chose_ to be here; we were all forced here under the pretext that he would murder us and our families. Secret weapon scientific bullshit, really. We worked on underground projects, and he thinks we're all stupid enough to go and blab to the government about our experiments. The man is so selfish that he doesn't think ahead. Why would I tell a police officer I committed a crime? It's really that foolish, but that type of foolishness has kept me here for the past several years." Sighing, he said, "Oh well, that's enough for now. Can't let him track my signal, now can I? I will be in touch with your brother in a few minutes here, but I just wanted to give you a friendly call and tell you that he is safe." Mokuba blinked as the line went dead, and he slowly pressed the speakerphone button to end the call.

"What the hell is up with that guy?" Jounouchi asked as he sat back down on the couch. "Is he a good guy or a bad guy?"

"Anyone who wants to take down Gozaburo is a good guy in my book," Mokuba stated. "However, I don't get the feeling that he is entirely right, either."

"Perhaps he is somewhere in the middle?" Yugi posed. "No one is really black and white; he just might be a strong shade of gray."

"He still creeps me out," Jounouchi remarked.

"Yeah, me too," Mokuba agreed. "However, if he is serious about giving Seto his cure, then I can't do anything but support him. And no matter how much I hate to admit it, it _was_ nice of him to tell us that Seto and Anzu are safe."

"But what if he is lying to us?" Jounouchi argued.

"Then we really can't do anything about it either way," Yugi noted.

"Is everything all right, Young Mr. Kaiba?" All three of them turned to see Roland standing in the entranceway from the foyer to the living room. He was in his usual business suit. Placing his hands behind his back, he stated, "I have heard the phone ring several times now. How is Mr. Kaiba doing?"

"He is…" Frowning, Mokuba pointed towards the screen and said, "He is stuck in the facility with Anzu."

"What…?" He took several steps forward and frowned at the screen. "Is this…a testing facility?" he questioned, returning his attention to Mokuba.

"Yeah. One of Gozaburo's old facilities. It… Apparently, it was still running when Seto got there. Gozaburo kidnapped them and stole everything they had. They are now trying to find a way out."

"Gozaburo is alive?"

Mokuba nodded.

"How is that even possible?"

"I don't know," he said. "I guess his body wasn't in the water facility that we were stuck in. He must have his body lying somewhere else."

"That is a rather unfortunate turn of events," Roland remarked. "But then, if Mr. Kaiba does not have any form of communication, who is contacting you?"

"A man named Dr. Sterner," Mokuba answered, blinking in surprise when Roland's eyes widened. "Why? Do you know of him?"

"I met him several times during trips when I first became a bodyguard for the Kaiba family," Roland answered. "I worked, if you remember, several years before you two arrived. I was forced to tag along with Mr. Gozaburo Kaiba during his trips to special facilities, particularly ones that he feared would come under government inspection. He needed a bodyguard badly during those days, and I was his first choice. So yes, I have met him. Is he the one who set up the video connection?" Pointing to the television, he said, "Your television looks like a security moderator…"

"We think he did. Did you go to this facility in particular?"

"I remember going to _a_ facility at one point that was different than the rest. Even with these monitors, I can't tell if it's the same or not. Gozaburo didn't tell me much; he just said that he was planning on moving the company in a new direction, and that he wanted to check on a few future workers. It was then that I first met Dr. Sterner, who was currently working on a prototype for some semi-automatic weapon. A smaller version, almost like a pistol, if memory serves me right."

"Weapons?" Yugi inquired, his eyebrows rising in surprise.

"Yeah, Gozaburo worked on weapons before Seto took over," Mokuba explained. "He wanted to make the company a more family-friendly environment, so he trashed all of Gozaburo's facilities and turned the company into a gaming company. That's why we were so shocked to discover that this facility was still standing."

"Who would have thought Kaiba would make a company friendlier?" Jounouchi noted.

"That still doesn't explain why Sterner is still working for Gozaburo," Yugi noted.

"Yes, that is a rather strange fact," Roland agreed. "I talked with the man several times during my trips. He was a strange American, for sure, but he had an uncanny ability for finding tweaks and errors in machinery and knowing how to fix things. You could say he had a sixth sense for that sort of thing. I know Gozaburo practically doted on the man, but Sterner didn't seem to care for the extra treatment he was given. If anything, their relationship became very bitter. Sterner was getting paid nearly a million dollars a year, yet he never wanted to do what Gozaburo hired him to do. He always had plans for new gadgets running through his head; following Gozaburo's orders never really suited him."

"So then why is he still working for Gozaburo after all these years?" Jounouchi exclaimed. "You'd think the man would've retired by now!"

"Maybe he didn't have a choice," Mokuba replied.

"That's probably the case," Yugi stated.

"So Roland, is this Sterner a good guy or what?" asked Jounouchi.

"I never thought of him as a good guy…more like a practical man," he admitted. "However, I do know that he admired Seto Kaiba and his work with gaming. He also admired the boy's sense of practically. I remember Gozaburo being quite upset over an email Sterner had sent to him, complimenting his training of Seto into a more ruthless businessman than even he was. So if Dr. Sterner knows where Mr. Kaiba is, I don't think he will try to harm him."

"So he's a good guy?"

"More or less…"

"What was the last thing you heard from Sterner?" Mokuba questioned.

"Only that he had quit several months before Gozaburo fell to his death…well, _supposedly_ fell to his death. I was told that he had begun quarreling with Gozaburo more than usual, and that he was planning on leaving the country to return home to America."

"He mentioned wanting to stop whatever is going on in the facility," Yugi noted. "If he is being held prisoner, then it makes sense that he would want to help Kaiba get out alive. After all, Kaiba is really the only one who can properly shut the place down, now that he owns KaibaCorp. Perhaps he is helping Kaiba because of this?"

"Most likely," Mokuba answered. "But that doesn't explain how he has the cure. He said he invented it, but why would Gozaburo want him to make a cure?"

"If he's been forced to work for Gozaburo, he may have made a cure in his spare time without supervision."

"I suppose…"

"At least we kinda know now that we can trust this guy," Jounouchi remarked. "So Roland, what do you make of all this?"

"I am surprised, Mokuba, that you have yet to ask me to go and find Mr. Kaiba," he admitted, turning to look at the boy.

"I know where he is, and I need to stay here to keep in contact with Sterner," Mokuba replied. "If I leave now and something happens, I won't be able to see or hear anything until I reach the island. Also, I know that if I were to barge in, I would probably just get in Seto's way…"

"What do you mean?" Yugi asked.

"I would most likely get attacked or kidnapped, and then Seto would be worrying over me instead of finding his cure. I… I hate this situation, I really do, but I have to trust my big brother on this one. Besides, he has Anzu with him. If the two have survived this long, I highly doubt they will succumb anytime soon."

Both Yugi and Jounouchi nodded in agreement. Roland smirked before asking, "How did Mr. Kaiba reach the island?"

"By boat."

"Would you like it if I took several guards and went to the docks? I could wait for Mr. Kaiba and the woman to return…"

"Not yet," Mokuba instructed. "We'll wait until we know for sure that he has escaped the facility. Once we know that, either from the video feed or from Sterner calling us, we'll all go to the docks and wait for Seto."

The three nodded in agreement, and Jounouchi sighed heavily before leaning back in the couch. Roland turned to stare at the television screen once more. Jou turned to look back at Mokuba and said, "Well, I guess we'll just wait until—"

"What is that?"

Blinking in surprise, Mokuba turned his attention to the monitor that Roland was pointing at. It showed the entrance to the room Seto and Anzu entered, and Mokuba saw to his horror a creature standing in front of the door, pounding his upper torso against it. The lights in the hallway illuminated him, revealing that he was a skinny yet tall man. He was wearing a long, white robe that fell to the floor. Taking a closer look, he saw pieces of metal sticking out of the creature's hands and back, all of them covered in a black sort of blood. In fact, as the creature continued pounding on the door, drops of blood fell to the ground, creating a small pool around the entrance.

"This place is overrun with monsters," Mokuba replied, looking in fear at Roland, who was staring at the monitor in shock. "Gozaburo… We think he was creating monsters in this facility."

"Is it…human?"

"It probably was. Now…now we're not so sure."

The creature backed away from the room, and Mokuba's stomach turned as he noticed two dents in the heavy, metallic door. The creature was strong…really strong. He could tell just by the dents that the creature's thin frame disguised his true power. The creature raised his fists and charged towards the door, creating another dent.

"Have Kaiba and Anzu gotten out of there yet?" Jounouchi shouted as he stood from his seat on the couch yet again.

"I don't know…" Yugi whispered. "Let's hope they did…"

Mokuba swallowed the lump in his throat and flinched as the creature lunged towards the door once more. "_Please get out of there, Seto… Please…_"


	20. CH 20 : Distortion

_Author's Note: I apologize for not posting this chapter sooner, but it wasn't turning out the way I wanted it to, and I ended up proofreading it nearly five times, making a few changes here and there in an attempt to make it better. I hope it comes off well, but I just wanted to apologize for the delay.

* * *

_

Chapter 20: Distortions

"Get behind me!" Seto shouted as he heard the creature bang against the door. His eyes widened upon seeing the door leading into the room bend slightly inward upon impact. The creature was strong…really strong. He jumped in front of Anzu and pulled out his pistol, double-checking to make sure it was fully loaded.

"What are we going to do?" she exclaimed as the creature continued to bash against the entrance. "There isn't another way out of here!"

He growled in frustration and glanced back at the monitors. He could see the creature standing in the hallway, and if he didn't know better, he would think that the monster on the monitor and the monster attempting to thrust through the door were not related. "_It looks so thin on the screen, but if can do this much damage…_" Flinching as the creature drove into the door, he shivered at the sight of another dent. His breathing became labored, and he could hear Anzu whimpering behind him. "_This door isn't going to last,_" he thought. "_We need to come up with a plan. We won't be able to take this guy out… Not unless we paralyze it or surprise it. Surprise is already out of the question, and who knows if we can honestly stun this creature…so then what? If only we could get out of this room…_"

Another bash against the door. "K-Kaiba…" she stuttered, her voice filled with fear. "What are we going to do?"

"_Dammit, I have to protect her too. If I was by myself, I'd lure him out into the hallway. It would give me more breathing space. If we stay in here, we'll be dead in no time. Perhaps if—_"

A screech penetrated through the walls, and both he and Anzu shuddered. "Do you think it will leave us alone if we don't exit the room?" she shouted.

"Not likely," he answered heavily.

"Then what do we do?"

"Mazaki, I have a plan." He swallowed the lump in his throat as the creature attacked yet again, causing a third dent to appear. "I'm… I'm going to begin shooting at it once it charges into this room. There isn't a lot of space in here, so we if we get trapped, we're dead. I am not dying at the hands of this thing, and neither are you. Once he enters, I am going to run around him and try to lure him back into the hallway. You shoot from behind while I shoot in front. If he attacks me first, try to get around him without attracting too much attention. Then begin firing at him. Either way, he'll be surrounded, and if we can hold out long enough, we may have a chance to either kill him or escape."

"Are you kidding me?" she exclaimed. "Kaiba, you can't do that! What if you get hurt?"

He tightened his grip on his pistol and glanced over his shoulder to look back at her. Her shoulders were hunched forward, and her eyes were wide and quickly filling with tears. She looked petrified, and he could only imagine how frightened he looked. "_Is she going to be able to do this?_" he thought to himself, yet he swiftly shook the thought aside. He never liked working with others, but if they were going to survive, it was a necessary evil. Looking her directly in the eyes, he said, "Listen, if I get hurt, it's better than the both of us getting killed. We can't fight him in here! Our only chance is to lure him out once he enters."

"But…but…"

"You said you trusted me, Anzu! We have no choice! Unless you can come up with something better, then we—"

Hearing the sound of metal scraping against the floor and electronic doorframe, Seto returned his attention to the creature. He was unable to contain his sudden fear, and he gasped in horror at the sight before him. The camera had only caught the back of the creature; what it looked like from the front appeared to be straight from Hell. The monster was tall, thin, but it had a terrifying human head. The eyes were wide, black with white pupils, and he glared wickedly at the two. Its smile was one of metal teeth, sharp and menacing, and a black tongue slithered out and licked its lips. It looked ready to enjoy a fresh kill, and Seto's eyes widened even more so at the pool of black blood slowly seeping into the control room. The second it took a step forward, Seto inhaled sharply and began firing at the monster's head.

The first bullet missed, yet the second went through the creature's left eye. Frowning, it cried out with a harsh screech before rushing towards the two with surprising speed. Kaiba gasped as the creature reached out and grabbed him by the throat, pulling him off the floor and slamming him into the wall opposite the computer monitors. He placed one hand on the creature's forearm, attempting to remove the hand from his neck, but the creature's grip only tightened in response. Lifting his gun in his other hand, he placed the barrel on the forearm and began firing. The creature let go and began backing away in shock, screeching again as blood poured out of the gunshot wounds. As Seto dropped to the floor, he could hear Anzu firing shots at the creature from behind.

The creature turned and began moving towards her, and he watched as she slowly backed away into the hallway. He stood up as quickly as he could before aiming towards the back of the creature's head. He fired two rounds, one hitting the creature's shoulder and the other hitting the neck. The creature jerked but continued walking nonetheless.

"_Shit, is this thing invincible?_" he thought as he swiftly ejected the empty magazine and reloaded. The creature, by this time, was approaching the destroyed doorframe, and he could hear Anzu's footsteps fading down the hallway. He swiftly took a few steps forward and began firing in an attempt to gain its attention. It was almost outside the room when it suddenly spun on its heels and turned to face the CEO. Its hands clenched into fists, and as it took a step forward, it tilted its head to the side and chuckled.

"Syringes are sanitized, sir!"

Seto's eyes widened, and for a split second, he felt his breathing stop. The creature, seeming to sense this second of delay, lunged forward, pinning him to the wall once more. He gasped and struggled as the claws dug deep into the metal wall, the sounds of the metal piercing his ears. He could feel his breathing becoming hitched, and as he began aiming his gun at its forearm for a second time, it leaned in and whispered, "Syringes are sanitized, sir. Why a full syringe, sir? They're sanitized, sir!"

His world was fading. He needed air, and fast. Closing his eyes, he struggled to release himself from the creature's grip when he suddenly heard two gunshots. He felt the hand release him and plunged to the floor, his world spinning from the lack of oxygen. The monster fell to the floor in front of him, blood oozing from the back of its legs. It jerked in response and screeched once more. Taking advantage of the moment, Anzu rushed into the room and aimed her gun directly into the creature's forehead, firing another three rounds. The creature twitched, went to push itself off the floor, twitched once more, and finally fell lifeless to the ground. She fired one final bullet just to make sure and only seemed to feel satisfied when the creature refused to twitch any longer. Seto took in a large breath of air, realizing that the threat was now over, and attempted to smile up at her. "You…you did—" Feeling his throat tighten, he began violently coughing. He rolled over onto his hands and knees to keep himself steady and attempted to gain air, yet his lungs seemed to cough up all the oxygen he was taking in.

"Kaiba! Kaiba, are you okay?" Anzu shouted, rushing to his side.

"I…I…" He felt his body begin sliding to the floor, yet before he reached the ground, he felt Anzu place her hands on his shoulders, preventing him from moving.

"Kaiba…please, look at me."

He slowly opened his eyes and frowned when she gasped in horror. "What…what's…" The nap he had taken earlier had been futile, it seemed, for all his energy was gone. He had not expected to be ambushed, especially by such a tough creature. "_I… I should have been more careful… I just… Fuck…_" As the air started refilling his lungs, all he could think of was the creature speaking to him. "_It spoke…in the same voice as that scientist. The scientist from my dreams… How did he have that same voice? How was that even possible? Am I… Am I really slipping that deeply into insanity? It's not feasible…and yet… I heard his voice….through the creature…_"

"Here, Kaiba, come on," she whispered. He watched as she began placing his left arm across the back of her shoulders, and when he finally realized that she was trying to help him stand, he attempted to help her by pushing himself up to his feet. "Let's go into another room. That way they can't find us."

"Yeah…" His breathing was now regulating itself, and his vision was starting to clear. They exited the bloodied office, yet as his strength returned, his fear increased. Anzu looked scared, and for some reason, he felt it was more than just the creature's fault. They took several steps down the hallway before entering a side room that was dimly lit. She helped him sit down in one of the office chairs, and as she went to leave his side, he reached out and grabbed her hand. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice softer than he anticipated it would be.

"Kaiba…" Sighing, she pulled up a chair and set it directly in front of him. She then walked towards the back of the room, where he saw a water cooler standing tall in the corner. He watched as she grabbed two paper cups and filled them with water before returning to him and handing him one. He uttered a small "thanks" and held the cup to his lips, smiling as the liquid rushed into his system, cooling his slightly-overheating body. He then returned his attention to her only to frown once more. She was sitting directly in front of him, staring worriedly into his eyes with a gaze that somewhat shook the CEO. It felt like a full minute had passed, during which they awkwardly sipped their drinks, before she asked, "What did you see when you saw that creature?"

His lips parted on their own, but he immediately closed them before contemplating his answer. "I… I didn't see anything," he replied.

"Then what was different than usual? Did you hear anything? Sense anything?"

He took another sip of his water before staring into the clear liquid. "How do you…know that something was wrong?"

"Did Mokuba ever ask you about…about having red eyes?"

"Red eyes?" Thinking back, he shook his head no. "Why?"

"I thought so. Well, when you first passed out in your mansion, Mokuba said…he said that your eyes had turned red. Like a shade of red... It's hard to explain. You see, remember when we told you we ran into Noa in the virtual reality?" Seto growled and nodded his head. "Well, Gozaburo mentioned something about him not receiving the virus. I-I don't know what that means, but when we saw him, his eyes were a bright red color. Only the irises, not the entire eye. B-But anyways, when we were fighting…your eyes had turned the same color."

"What?" He coughed slightly, his voice still rather hoarse from the attack, before asking, "Are you absolutely certain that that's what you saw?" The thought was simply incredulous. How could his _eye color_ change?

"I know, I know, it's crazy," she admitted. "But Mokuba said that your eyes turned red as you were having the vision. And just now…w-when that thing grabbed you, your eyes…they turned red again. Only for a few seconds, and once he let go, they began changing back to blue. But…if it means what we think it does… Kaiba, please tell me. I'm so scared for you…"

He sighed in frustration and bit his lower lip. He didn't want to talk about it. Not because he was afraid of her knowing, but because he himself didn't understand what it was that occurred. "_Given Sterner's information, it was a distortion in reality,_" he thought as he took another sip of water. "_So what I heard…probably never happened. It was all in my head…_" The thought caused his grip to tighten around the cup. "_My mind began replaying something from the virtual reality and probably mixed it with what was currently occurring, which just so happened to be the fight. It's the only way to explain how that creature had the same voice as the scientist from inside the virtual reality. He sounded just like the scientist; he even said the same statements that I remember the scientist saying. But that creature was a monster… Does it even know how to talk? And could it honestly do an impression of a human's voice? It had to be me… It just had to be…_"

"Kaiba, are you—"

"Seto." Both blinked in surprise, and Kaiba peeked up from his cup before feeling a slight blush rush up to his cheeks. Suppressing as much as he could of his sudden awkwardness, he sipped his water once more before whispering, "Just…call me Seto from now on. It's been bugging me, you calling me that, since we got here. Especially when our enemy is Gozaburo. I'm just a Kaiba by name…not by blood." In reality, he did not know why he had bothered correcting her. It _didn't_ bug him, her calling him Kaiba, but for some reason it just didn't sound right. Not now, and not after all they had been through.

"Um… Okay, Seto…" she stated, blushing slightly as she said his first name. "Um, are you sure you are okay?"

"Yeah, I just… I'm trying to figure out what happened." Placing his hand on the edge of the nearby desk, he pushed himself up from his seat and glanced out the window, which revealed the empty hallway. "Come on, we should move," he said. "I don't want to hold us up."

"But Kai… Sorry. Seto. Please tell me. I want to know…what did you see?"

"I told you, I didn't see anything," he answered. "I just… I _heard_ something."

"You heard something?" she repeated.

Drinking the rest of the water, he turned to face her before sighing in defeat. He leaned back against the desk and tossed the cup into a nearby trash bin, not bothering to pick it up when it bounced off the rim and rolled towards the center of the room. He gripped the edge of the table with both hands and closed his eyes, leaning forward slightly as he did so. "I… When the visions began, I was seeing this scientist," he explained, his voice low and weak. "He was with Gozaburo in the beginning of my visions. I…In my nightmares, I would see myself chained to this bed. I was being tested on. They would stick syringes in me, and I'd feel each prick pierce my skin. They were commenting on proper dosages and how to treat their first test subject. I… I didn't know what any of it meant. And then, in the real world, I began seeing and hearing this scientist. Never Gozaburo, just this scientist, and he would say things like "syringes are sanitized, sir." It scared the shit out of me." Sighing heavily, he opened his eyes, allowing his gaze to wander to the floor, and said, "I heard the creature that attacked us just now… I heard him say that phrase in the scientist's voice. I know it wasn't him, and yet…" He hated doing this, _hated_ it. He felt like a weak, pathetic child… He felt like he did when he was at the orphanage and even under Gozaburo's care. So hopeless, so clueless… He looked back up at her, expecting to see disapproval or anger, and instead saw her worriedly staring at him. She was taking in his words, not saying whether she felt one way or the other. She…she deserved to know the truth. At least, in his mind, she did. She was understanding of his situation.

"So you heard the monster speak just like the scientist from your dreams did?"

"Yeah…"

He blinked in surprise when she took a step towards him. She carefully placed her hand on his shoulder and smiled softly at him. "I'm here for you, Seto," she whispered. "I understand that what you are going through is tough…real tough. But we can get through this."

He scoffed. "That was never a question," he retorted. "I will never let that creep get the best of me. I never have…and never will."

She nodded her head and smiled.

"Now, let's get going," he said. Feeling for his gun, he heard her chuckle and glanced up to see her holding his pistol in her hand.

"You dropped it when the creature…released you," she remarked. He smiled and took it from her before smirking.

"You know, for a second there, I didn't know if you would be able to fight that thing or not," he admitted. "I'm happy to know you have such a strong spine, even if you hide it from your friends."

"What does that mean?" she exclaimed, chuckling and lightly punching him in the shoulder.

"It means that you aren't just the stupid cheerleader in Yugi's group of geeky friends," he stated.

"So what am I?"

He turned and placed the pistol in his pocket. "At this point, I'm not sure," he muttered under his breath. Shrugging, he added, "But I do know that you're trustworthy."

"And…?"

There was a playful tone in her voice, causing him to chuckle. "Come on, we've wasted enough time," he said. "Besides, there may be more of those things coming. We need to keep moving."

"Are you sure you're okay to be moving around? You were hit pretty hard…"

"I'm okay now," he stated. "I just got the wind knocked out of me for a second or two. I may get a bruise here or there, but I'll be fine. My throat is clearing up; that water really helped me. Trust me…I've dealt with worse."

"Speaking of which, what did that—"

"Not now," he interrupted, already knowing where the conversation was heading. He knew Sterner's comment would come up eventually, particularly when he said it in front of someone as compassionate as Anzu. Turning away from her, he whispered, "Just…not now," before exiting the room. Looking both ways, he realized nothing new had come by and motioned for her to follow. He then began walking down the hallway, his mind quickly returning to the mission at hand.


	21. CH 21 : Continued Business

Chapter 21 : Continued Business

She did not know what to think of his behavior. First he told her to call him by his first name, which was a stunning request in and of itself, and then he actually told her what it was he was seeing. She finally knew what it was that scared him so: a vision of a scientist torturing him. Well, it was understandable then why his system became so shocked by the visions. She would have been a nervous wreck by now if she kept reliving such a moment. The surprise from the confession was second, however, to her shock upon seeing the CEO's composure during his explanation. He had looked so vulnerable, a position that she never would have imagined seeing him in. "_Do you…truly trust me now_?" she thought as her eyes wandered to the back of his head. It had to be trust; Seto would _never_ let anyone see him so hurt.

They were retracing their steps back to the cafeteria, where Sterner had instructed them to go. Each time they came to a new door, Seto would attempt to open it to see if it was the room they were looking for. Most of the time is was just an empty computer room, much like the room they had hid in when Sanderson explained his situation to them. Others were storage rooms, and one in particular led to a staircase leading only upstairs. "Why do they honestly need so many rooms?" she thought aloud as Seto grabbed what felt like the tenth doorknob and twisted it open. He took a step inside and turned on the lights, his eyes scanning the interior before he lowered his weapon.

"It depends on how many people they had working here," he answered, turning to glance at her. She squirmed slightly at the sight of his neck; a bruise was forming where the creature had grabbed him.

"How will we even know what this lab looks like, though, with so many rooms?"

"Sterner said it was a testing lab located between the cafeteria and our previous location," he responded. "We're getting closer now towards the middle of the hallway, and I have a feeling this lab will be easy to spot compared to the rest of these rooms. If anything, it will most likely have an electronic door, as that seems to be a pattern in this place."

"Then why are we looking in these other rooms?" she questioned, staring curiously at him.

"Because I don't know about you, but I used a lot of ammunition fighting that creature," he answered, his eyes wandering to the pistol in his hand. "I'm checking to see if anymore emergency supply boxes are located in these rooms."

Nodding in understanding, her eyes traveled back to his neck, and she frowned in worry. "Then why don't you…"

"Why don't I what?" he asked when she didn't continue.

"You're hurt, Seto," she stated. "Why don't you let me go ahead and check out the rooms? I admit I'm a bit low on ammo as well, but still…your wounds look a little serious."

"Trust me, Anzu, it doesn't hurt as much as you may think."

She thought back to the comment Sterner had made and mentally shuddered. "_He knew I would ask about it, and the second the notion slipped through my lips, he shut me down. He doesn't want to talk about it… He probably didn't even want me knowing about it. About his…his abuse at home…_"

Hearing him sigh, she glanced back at him and blinked in surprise when he pulled the keycard out of his pocket and handed it to her. "Look, I can tell you are obviously upset," he remarked. "So here. Take the card. You can take point, and I'll watch your back. If you feel overwhelmed at any second or wish to change your mind, I won't hold it against you."

Her hands shook slightly as she took the card from him, and she smiled before placing the card in her front pocket. "T-Thanks," she stuttered. "I just want to—"

"—Prove your worth, right?" he finished, smirking down at her. "You already have. But if you feel that you need to do this, I won't stop you." Placing his hand along his neck, he added, "Remember that you taking point will not keep me from protecting you."

She smiled and checked her gun one last time before walking past him and continuing down the hallway. She soon heard his footsteps following hers and mentally gave herself a pat on the back. "_I am doing well. I can do this. Just investigate the rooms for supplies and find the testing lab that leads to the elevator. I defeated that gruesome monster; this should be a piece of cake._"

"Seto…how do you think that creature found us?" she questioned as she opened a door on her left and peeked inside. The room was well-lit, yet there was no sign of life. Scanning the walls, she frowned when she saw no emergency box.

"I don't know, but if the blood stains that were on the door were any indication, it had already visited that portion of the facility before," he answered.

"It just…it seemed to know that we were in that room."

"Gozaburo may have altered them in order to follow his demands. If so, then he may have sent the creature to our location."

"Why would he move to biological weapons? I mean, I understand the warfare aspect of it, but did he honestly plan on using these monsters in war?"

"I am hoping to figure that out," he responded. She continued her way down the hallway and noticed an electronic door to her right.

"You think this is it?" she asked as she took the keycard out of her pocket. Sliding it through the reader, she waited for the green light to click on and the door to open before raising her pistol and glancing inside. The room was pitch black, but as she stepped inside, the fluorescent lights came on, illuminating the entire area. It was a medium-sized lab with three virtual simulator chairs lining the wall on her left. The wires then connected to a large series of computers, which were located on desks that formed a square in the center.

"Looks like the place," he noted, walking in close behind her.

"The glass cover is broken on these virtual seats," she noted, walking over to one of the chairs and peeking inside. The cushioning was ripped to shreds, and shards of glass were scattered inside as well as on the surrounding floor. "Do you think those creatures were subjected to virtual technology?"

"Highly doubtful," he answered. "I was told I was the first test subject for that sort of thing, and while Gozaburo is apt to lying, I may believe him this one time. Also, there would be little point in placing a genetic mutation inside a virtual reality; it is already permanently changed."

"Then who do you think broke out of these things?"

"I don't think anything did. If a creature like what we encountered or someone who was as upset as Sanderson wandered in, it and several others may have just ripped the chairs apart to make a point. Hell, if Sterner is telling the truth, he himself may have done it."

"Why do you say that?" she asked, turning to look at him. He was leaning over one of the computers, his hands typing viciously on the keyboard.

"Because Sterner wants to take this place down, and destroying any and all evidence of its existence is paramount to such an objective. If he is serious, then ruining the machinery used for experiments would be…"

Blinking in surprise, she noticed his eyes widen considerably at whatever was on the screen. His sudden halt in speaking also indicated something serious had caught his attention, and she began taking steps towards him when he swiftly sat down in the chair and began typing once more.

"Did you find something?" she asked, rushing over to his side.

"Yeah…" His eyes began scanning the screen, and as she stood next to his chair, she watched as he pulled up several files and began perusing them. They did not look like the previous computer files they had seen before, which appeared to be reports on test subjects. These looked like business transactions; the copied checks and cash posted were clear giveaways.

"What are business checks doing on these computers?" she questioned, leaning forward to get a better look. "Isn't this a testing lab? Who was looking at this?"

"That's just it," he cryptically answered.

"What's it?" she asked.

"These are not virtual chairs. The programming is entirely different."

"Then what it is?"

He pulled up another file, and the screen filled with the image of a holographic human being shown in different colors. Bars indicating various chemical levels could be seen on the right-hand side as well as a text box listing the individual's blood type, sex, and IQ. "These chairs were used for monitoring subjects," he stated. "At least, that's what I can tell from here. Somehow, these chairs were recording all of this."

"How is that possible?"

"It's quite possible; the coding is rather crude. But if that is the case, then maybe you were right… Those creatures _could_ have broken out of these chairs if they were being kept in here and monitored. I thought they were virtual reality chairs…apparently I was wrong."

"That still does not explain the money files," she remarked.

"No, and that is what worries me. Someone was here looking at these reports…someone before us…"

"Sanderson, perhaps?"

"Unlikely. He was trying to survive…" Sighing, he shook his head before continuing. "I don't know. Perhaps someone else is working for Sterner. Maybe it was Sterner himself."

"Can you trace it somehow?"

"I could, but it would take time, and that is something we do not have."

"Where do you think the money is?"

"I don't know…" Bringing back the transaction file, the two went back to scanning it, and soon Anzu reached forward and pointed at one of the checks near the bottom of the page. There was a signature that looked rather flamboyant, yet the name struck her as being familiar.

"Who is that?"

Seto leaned forward, and she frowned when his lips parted in surprise. "That's…" He slammed his fist down and growled in frustration. "How the hell is that possible?"

Surprised by his sudden outburst, Anzu took a step back and stared in wonder at him. "W-What's wrong?"

"This check is from Johnson," he muttered, his eyes widening as he continued reading down the screen. "And Gozaburo only knew of one Johnson, as far as I was aware…"

"Um… Johnson?" Why did the name sound familiar to her?

He sighed in frustration and pulled up several more financial files. "This one has his name…and this one his… Shit…were they all in on this? How is that even possible? How long has this been occurring?"

"Seto, what are you talking about?" she questioned. She didn't like him now, his eyes wide and confused. He was obviously shocked by something; he was never one to just freak out like this.

"These names… These are the names of the Big 5," he answered after a full minute passed, during which he continued scanning through the financial files. "Each file shows a check that was printed from one of the Big 5 to this company. It looks like a major amount of funding came from them, and that they had a schedule for when each person would donate. Johnson handed in this check over five years ago, and then Lector turned his in a month afterwards. Gansley a month after, and so on. Yet all of this stops when I…when I fired them and placed them inside the virtual reality a little over a year ago."

"They were funding Gozaburo for that long?" Anzu exclaimed. "Were they stealing money from your company, do you think?"

"No!" he shouted back, his hands clenching into tight fists. "No, I would have known about that. Something would have given that much money away. This all must have come from their own pockets, which may be why it all stopped when they were no longer getting paychecks. But to think that this was happening all this time…"

She watched as he closed his eyes and leaned his head forward slightly, taking a large breath of air and exhaling slowly. "_I can't imagine how infuriated he is right now,_" she thought as she stared down at him. "_Here he was, trying to maintain his company while getting rid of the past, only to discover that his previous co-workers who tried to kill him were funneling their own money into Gozaburo's facility._"

"It does explain a lot, though," she noted.

"What do you mean?" he asked, glancing up at her.

"I mean, it makes a lot of things make sense. That may be how the Big 5 got in touch with Gozaburo in the first place, and how they established an alliance against you. That may also be why they tested those things on you in Gozaburo's reality when it was the Big 5 who kidnapped us first. It would point out how Gozaburo got his hands on the virtual reality technology and how he kept it up-to-date with your stuff before those guys were fired. If they have been helping each other for this long, then they may have had a contract or something. If anything, it tells us where Gozaburo got the money to keep this place up and running."

"Yeah, but the funds stopped almost a year ago, when I got rid of those assholes," he remarked.

"Perhaps that's why everything is now going to Hell?"

He blinked at the thought and slowly turned to look back at the screen. He just stared at it, and she wondered if he was trying to comprehend the situation. "_I don't think one _can_ comprehend this situation,_" she thought. "_It's so complex, and there is just too much going on._"

"Why don't we get moving?" she said after another silent minute passed. "We still need to find your cure, and if the funds have stopped coming into this place, then there isn't much to worry about, right? Come on. We should go and find that keycard."

He continued sitting, staring at the computer monitor, and for a brief second, she wondered if he was having another vision or attack. She placed a hand on his shoulder, and he flinched at her touch, but other than that he did nothing. His eyes were still wide, and the sound of his breathing filled the room. "_Perhaps I should just—_"

"That's how Gozaburo survived that fall," he suddenly stated, his voice hinting that the thought was a sudden revelation.

"Hmm?"

"Gozaburo. It's been bugging me from the start, how he survived that suicide attempt, but I remember now… I first heard the news of his 'suicide' from the Big 5. Lector had come into my room and told me the news, stating that it must have been because I had taken over the company and he was grief-stricken from losing to me. I never saw his exact body; all I saw was a body covered in a sheet, heading towards the morgue. There was a large funeral, but the casket had remained closed, and in the end, they decided to cremate his body and spread his ashes into the nearby sea. I didn't care one bit about any of it. I hated that man, and I didn't even want to attend his funeral. I could have cared less about what they did to his body. But now…knowing that they had maintained an alliance… They must have fashioned his 'suicide' in an attempt to trick me. They knew Gozaburo was alive this whole time, and they knew I would keep them in high-paying positions. You're right; a deal must have been made between the group."

"But what would they have gotten in return for sending him money?"

"Protection, most likely, and I'm sure some financial compensation."

"All under your scrutiny?"

He growled and shook his head. "I had no idea… I could have never imagined this…"

"That still doesn't answer the question of who was looking into these files."

"I don't know…"

"We ruled out Sanderson…perhaps Sterner posted them for us, knowing that we were coming through here?"

"I told you, I don't know!" he exclaimed, his voice louder than before. She shuddered at his response, and he sighed before standing out his seat. A sudden click got the two's attention, however, and they both turned to look down at the screen. A pop-up window had appeared in the center, and in bright bold font a message read _**Figured you might be interested in this**_.

"Sterner…?" she whispered.

Before either of them could do anything, the entire computer shut down, leaving behind a black screen. Seto scoffed and rolled his eyes before peeking over at her. "Sorry," he muttered before walking around the desk. "I'm just… You don't understand how upset I am over this."

"You did nothing wrong, Seto."

"But if I had known that this was happening, I could have prevented all of it!" he shouted, turning to look at her. His eyes were wide, but she could tell he wasn't angry at her. He was angry at himself, frustrated with the situation he was now forced to deal with. "If I had known that those bastards would continually backstab me until the day they died, I could have armed myself properly! We wouldn't be forced into this situation! We would be safe, and Gozaburo… He never would have the chance to do _any _of this…"

"Oh, come on, Seto," she scolded, placing her hands on her hips. "There was no way you could have predicted this would ever happen. It's like you said; you knew very little about his suicide. Why would you have ever questioned it? You can only do so much, Seto, and you did everything right. Now that we know where Gozaburo got his funds, we also now know that he hasn't received them in some time. We did beat the Big 5 in the virtual world."

"We also beat Gozaburo," he remarked.

"Yeah, well, if those statements are anything to go by, then Gozaburo has lost his funding. We can still find your cure, and we can still take this place down! You can't blame yourself for Gozaburo doing these things! It's not your fault!"

His eyes returned to their normal size, yet as the anger disappeared, a bit of sadness seemed to creep in through the blue. He looked hurt, upset, betrayed even. She knew, deep down, that no matter what she said, he would blame himself for the matter. "_He was raised to think one step ahead of the competition. Knowing that he had been played for years must make him feel awful. But he's only human; no one could have predicted this situation._"

"We're wasting time," he whispered as he glanced down at the pistol in his hand. "Come on, I've held us up long enough. Let's…go find this keycard, and see if we can find some more ammunition."

She nodded and rushed up to his side. "That's more like it!" she exclaimed. He frowned and looked away from her, and she pouted before grabbing him by the arm. He turned in surprise and glared down at her. "Seto, this isn't over," she reminded him. "Not by a long shot. We can do this, and you know it. So please…don't blame yourself for this place. You didn't build it, you didn't fund it, you didn't do anything but what you felt was right. Don't blame yourself."

His eyes stared curiously at her, searching her face for something she didn't know. Several seconds passed before he smirked down at her, the fire in his eyes quickly returning. "Who would have thought you could be such the cheerleader?" he taunted, poking her nose with his pointer finger before pulling his arm out of her grip. Despite the rude remark, she smiled back at him, happy to see that he wasn't upset by her actions. He began walking across the room towards the direction of the hallway, and she followed close behind, happy to note that, as they turned the corner, an elevator was waiting for them just a few short steps away.


	22. CH 22 : Breaking Free

_Author's Note: I just want to take this time to thank you guys once again for all the comments you have posted! It's been a bit since I thanked you guys, and I know that my updates have been a bit slower than usual as of late. So I apologize for this, and I continue to appreciate all of your comments and remarks.

* * *

_

Chapter 22 : Breaking Free

The elevator doors opened, and Seto was the first to step out and scan the room. He could tell they were on some sort of balcony, as he could see traces of the room below through holes in the metal flooring. A small staircase at the opposite end of the room seemed to lead around a corner, yet the grey, metallic walls cut off his vision. Glass bookshelves lined the short walls, and most of the material kept appeared to be manila folders or plastic containers. He smirked victorious when he noticed a box filled with what appeared to be ammunition rounds, though why it was sitting on the bookshelf was anyone's guess. He had had enough with surprises and concluded that nothing could honestly shock him any longer. The news that the Big 5 had been working with Gozaburo even after his presumed death left Seto feeling sick to his stomach.

"_I was such a fool to have trusted anybody, but I needed to have someone beside me,_" he thought as he opened the container and grabbed one box for himself, tossing another to Anzu. "_I could not have run the company on my own; I needed others, even if I didn't quite trust them. But to think they were this deep in something that I had no idea about… And all these people, they suffered because I didn't make sure. I didn't double-check. I know Anzu is right… How was I to know? But still…it doesn't change anything. And neither, I suppose, does dwelling on it._"

Reloading his weapon, he smiled at the full magazine and placed the rest of the ammunition in the pocket of his pants. He turned to watch Anzu do the same and smirked at her calm demeanor. "_She really has been a big help,_" he mentally admitted. "_That creature would have surely killed me if it hadn't been for her._" He refused to let it show, but his neck was giving him severe pain. He had half a thought to ask her for some medicine, but he then remembered that their bottle of pills had been left behind. Besides, the last thing he needed was her worrying over what felt like a bruise. "_Maybe we will find an infirmary soon. I just want to check on it and make sure it doesn't look as bad as it feels. I know her eyes keep wandering down to it; I hope it doesn't look terrible._"

"Ready to go?" she asked, smiling up at him.

"Yeah," he answered, jerking out of his slight trance. Turning around, he approached the staircase and began heading down to the right, his footsteps echoing off the thin, metal steps, when he heard another sound underneath. He stopped and motioned for Anzu to do the same before focusing his attention on the whispers below.

"Looks like he is finally stable," a female voice said, though from his position, it was almost too soft to hear.

"About damn time," a man replied, his voice rough and much louder than the woman's. "I don't know why Gozaburo released these things, but they've been a pain in the ass to get back under control."

"What's going on?" Anzu whispered. Seto swiftly turned and placed his finger to his lip, indicating to her to be quiet. He then turned his head back in the direction of the voices. He wanted to get closer, but he feared being seen. Descending to a small platform that led to another set of stairs, he peeked around the corner to see what appeared to be an opening leading into another testing lab. From his position, he could only make out a series of tables lined against the wall. He realized that the majority of the room was past the walls lining the rest of the stairwell. Unless he passed through the entrance or the people speaking approached one of the tables, he would not see them and vice versa.

"Do you think Gozaburo would appreciate us placing this thing back in its case?" the woman questioned. Their voices were much clearer now that he had descended the stairs.

"Who knows?" the man answered. "Honestly, I'm getting tired of this shit. First we get attacked by intruders, then we lose them almost as soon as we catch them, _then_ Gozaburo decides to release the experiments in an attempt to kill them. Meanwhile he's got Sterner riding his ass since Sterner is finally taking control of this facility, not that he hasn't been the one in charge from the start. All this after we were told a month ago that the funds for this place were running dry. As far as I'm concerned, Gozaburo can go to hell."

"But what does that mean for us?" the woman asked, her voice shaking with fear.

"It probably means we'll be out of a job soon. What? Didn't you get the emails about the financial crisis we're going through? Apparently the guys who were investing in this place didn't like what we were doing and pulled out. What I don't get, though, is why would somebody fund a facility without knowing what was happening in it only to pull out at the last second?"

"You think Gozaburo lied to us?"

"Wouldn't be the first time."

Hearing a low, deep-throated growl, Seto shivered and frowned when the man stated, "Looks like it's starting to wake up."

"It won't get back out, will it?"

"Not sure. Hopefully these chemicals keep it stable. Besides, we're sending in more than three times the regular amount of anesthesia into its system. It should have been placed into a coma by now."

"Well, its eyes are still moving…"

"Maybe it's trying to fight it off. It's still human to an extent; the survival instinct is still paramount in its system."

"Should we be making observations?"

"I'll make observations when I know I won't be mauled to death in my sleep tonight," he retorted. His footsteps echoed in the room, indicating that he was moving. "Besides, if Sterner gets what he wants, he'll have control of this place by the end of the night. Gozaburo nearly pissed his britches when he heard that Sterner had taken control of most of the security systems."

"Then how did Gozaburo manage to release the creatures?"

"I think Sterner took over right afterwards, maybe to prove a point. God only knows what those two arrogant assholes are doing to each other, but my guess is that by tonight, one of them will have killed the other."

"It's so strange, how everything was normal just weeks ago…"

"Aye, but with the knowledge out now that we aren't getting funded, along with the lack of subjects we've had over the past month or so, it was bound to happen."

"I thought Gozaburo made some huge breakthrough, though? Weren't they just beginning to work on those virtual reality machines?"

"Those pieces of crap? Shit, who knows about those?"

"Well, Monica told me the other day that she found a report in the database detailing their first test subject. Apparently it went rather well; the patient experienced symptoms of dementia days after waking up from his slumber."

"No kidding? Well, Gozaburo picked a rather poor time to start that shit. I guess he didn't think our funding would run dry before then."

Another growl could be heard, this one louder, and the sudden movement of feet indicated that the two had been startled. "Shit, this thing isn't falling asleep. I'm going to the nurse to see if we can't get a stronger medicine."

"But this is the strongest we've got, isn't it?"

"I thought so, but if this amount isn't knocking him out, then there is something wrong. He should've been unconscious long ago. Keep an eye on him; I'll be right back."

"A-Alright," she answered nervously.

Seto frowned when he heard the man's footsteps decrease in volume. He soon heard an electronic door open, and he could tell the man had left the room once the door closed shut. He could also hear the woman walking around, jumping slightly every time the creature groaned.

"What are we going to do?" Anzu questioned, standing close behind him.

"We're going to have to check out this room and see if the keycard is in here," he remarked. "We can't just leave this place unexamined. We will either have to wait for this woman to leave, or we'll have to attack."

"Can we get a closer look?"

"Let's see…" Tip-toeing his way down the rest of the stairs, he pressed himself against the edge of the wall and peeked around the corner. His eyes widened at the sight before him, and he growled lowly as his grip around his pistol tightened. The room was much larger than he first imagined; it was quite wide, and there were several tables in the center lined up in three horizontal rows. The table closest to him was currently occupied by one of the creatures they had fought before. "_It looks like the thing that ambushed us in the security room,_" he noted, frowning at the notion that there were others like it. Tubes with syringes attached to the ends hung from several holes placed in the ceiling above each table, and nearly five of them were set into the creature, sending liquids into its arms, legs, and forehead. It jerked periodically yet remained relatively still. The woman was standing in front of one of the many experiment tables that lined the walls, seemingly organizing the various vials and glass beakers. While his vision of her was somewhat hindered by the jutting wall that lined the stairwell, he could make out that she was wearing the scientist attire that had an attached hood.

"_This room is larger than I originally thought, and we have to find this stupid keycard for Sterner. He didn't mention we would run into others… Maybe he didn't anticipate there being others on this floor? It doesn't really matter either way; we are going to have to come up with a solution so we can investigate this room. And with that creature lying there… This is not going to be easy._"

The creature on the table grunted loudly as it pulled against the metal restraints around its wrists and ankles, and the woman turned to look at it in horror. She slowly approached it as it continued writhing in pain and muttered, "Dammit, what is taking him so long? I don't like being alone with this thing…"

Seto frowned at the woman's obvious disgust. "_If she fears this thing, then why is she watching over it? I wonder if she was just a scientist, not one of those involved with these genetic mutations. Perhaps she was a tester, not one who worked in the field. Or perhaps she, like most people here, was forced against her will and didn't like doing this._" The creature jerked again, and she whimpered before taking a step back, her hands instinctively clasping together in front of her chest.

The electronic door on the opposite side of the room soon opened, revealing another scientist wearing the same hooded attire. Seto hated the outfit; he couldn't make out who these people were underneath. "_If I could see them, perhaps I would recognize them from one of Gozaburo's previous facilities. I wouldn't have to see everyone as an enemy._"

"Well, no sign of the nurse anywhere," he noted as he approached her. From his voice, Seto could tell it was the same man from before. "My guess is she, like everyone else on this damned floor, jumped ship. How is he doing?"

"He is still moving and resisting," she answered, turning swiftly to look at him. "Why isn't he knocked out yet? This isn't normal…"

"We're working with genetic mutations, Michelle," he remarked. "None of this is precisely normal."

"But still…."

"I know, I know, but we're alone on this floor. I couldn't find anyone. I can't imagine where everyone went. Probably gone to find the rest of the damned creatures."

The creature growled louder than before, and Seto realized that it was pulling harder against the restraints. Its eyes were opening and closing, and it appeared to be having some sort of seizure, for its head began shaking back and forth with a powerful force that nearly shook the table. "Shit, what are we going to do?" she asked, her hands coming up to her mouth.

"It can't be helped. We're going to have to put another needle in it."

"Do you think that's such a good idea?"

"What the fuck do you want to do, then? Just sit and watch as it tries to attack us? Come on, we have to do something, and without another dosage, we're stuck with what we have."

"Can't we just leave it alone and go find the others?"

"So it can escape again? Fuck that. I'm not letting this one kill another group of scientists. It already took out a few of our guys; I'm not letting it get out again for my own damned protection."

"I… I suppose you're right."

The two scientists slowly began approaching the creature, the man grabbing one of the many syringes hanging from the ceiling as they did so. The creature, seeming to sense their motives, continued lashing out against its restraints, and Seto noticed how its eyes and mouth widened and closed, then widened again, almost as if it was trying to scream for help. It cried out in a similar screech to the one voiced by the creature which ambushed them, and Seto growled in frustration. "_This is taking too long, and it doesn't look like that creature is going to be stable anytime soon. How are we going to get through here?_"

As soon as the man inserted the needle, the woman took several steps back and fidgeted with her hands. The creature screeched once more, and the man turned his head to look at the woman. "What the hell are you doing?" he shouted. "Come and help me!"

"But…but I-I'm not—"

"God dammit, you scientists are so fucking worthless sometimes!" he shouted. "You guys do all the genetic bullshit, but it's us testers who have to push your creations into battle! You just remember that the next time you need something like this done!"

The woman, seemingly offended by the man's comments, clenched her fists and boldly approached the table. Grabbing the creature's face, she slammed its head back onto the table in an attempt to knock it unconscious. The creature's arms lashed out in surprise, cutting the restraints in the process, and both the man and woman cried out in shock. Seto swiftly turned and removed his gaze from the scene, expecting to hear a slaughter and not wanting to see it, when, after several seconds passed, he was surprised to see one of the scientists be thrown in their direction. He watched as the scientist hit the wall with a large thud and fell to the ground, grunting in pain as she landed on the table. It was the woman; he could tell by her voice, and as she went to push herself forward, her head turned in their direction. "H-Hey, what are you—"

"Michelle, help me!" the man shouted, and Seto could hear the sound of metal scraping and glass breaking behind the wall. The woman stared in wonder at them for several more seconds before swiftly standing and pulling out her weapon. Seto immediately lifted his own pistol and fired two rounds, one hitting her in the stomach and the other hitting her shoulder. She screamed in pain and fell to the ground, and Seto rushed forward and kicked her down to the floor before turning to examine the room. The sight of the man being pinned to one of the experiment tables by the creature greeted him, and he watched as the man grabbed several vials and smashed them against the creature's face. A sizzling sound began permeating the room, indicating that the liquids inside the beakers were burning the creature's skin. Unfazed by this, the creature continued lashing out, choking the man while hissing maniacally.

"Gah, get…get off…me!" the man shouted, attempting one last time to defeat the creature. Grabbing a large vial of blue liquid, he lifted it and poured it onto the creature face and upper torso. The monster screeched in pain and backed away, placing its hands to its face, its dark skin appearing to boil from the contact. Wiping its hands over its face, it screeched a second time before rushing the male scientist. The man was pushed onto the table with such force that he flew over and fell backwards, the table falling on its side. Seto waited for a response and growled when there was none. His eyes widened, however, when the creature slowly turned and stared directly at him.

Raising his pistol, he fired one gunshot and was surprised to see it flinch. "_Maybe those chemicals that man poured on him weakened him,_" he thought, smiling when he saw a shot fly past him and hit the creature. "_Hopefully this one will be easier to deal with…_"

Firing another two rounds, he watched as the creature fell to its knees, its breath coming out in short, labored gasps. Its black tongue hung out of its mouth like a dog, and it appeared to be slowly sliding to the ground. Seto lowered his weapon slightly and took a step forward, wondering if it was defeated, when it suddenly screeched and jumped to its feet. It charged directly at him, but right before he felt the impact from the creature, he felt a pair of hands push him out of the way, knocking him slightly off-balance. Stunned by the unexpected force, he swiftly turned on his heels and watched in horror as Anzu was struck and pushed to the floor. The tubes from the ceiling limited the monster's range, however, for as it reached out to finish her, it was pulled back, causing it to recoil.

"Anzu!" he shouted, his heart jumping as she slowly pushed herself up on her hands and knees. His hands began to violently shake, and, raising his pistol with one hand, he fired three bullets directly into the creature's skull, watching as the blood and brain matter splattered out onto the tables and wires behind. The creature screeched and reached out towards him, yet he fired one more bullet, smirking when it began twitching violently. It fell to the ground, convulsing and groaning several times on the way down, and growled lowly before finally coming to a halt. Blood continued pouring onto the floor, and Seto quickly took a step back before returning his attention to Anzu, who was now breathing heavily and sitting on her knees, her hands in her lap. He glanced over to see the woman he had shot bleeding out on the floor and realized that she was either unconscious or dead. The monster now lay dead, and there was still no response from the male scientist. Realizing that the danger had, for the present, passed, he rushed to Anzu's side, staring worriedly at her, noticing only vaguely that his breathing had increased and that his heart rate was through the roof. "Anzu, are you okay?" he asked, reaching out and grabbing her arm. Noticing her flinch, he looked closely at her to see a large cut across her left arm.

"It-It's not as bad as it looks," she answered, her eyes widening at the sight of it. "It hurts, but I can still feel it. It's not that deep, just long…"

"You idiot," he scolded, sighing in relief at the fact that she was still somewhat okay. "What were you thinking, running in front of me? You could have been seriously injured…"

"I didn't want you getting hurt again!" she exclaimed. "When I saw it rushing towards you, I just acted. You've already gotten hurt enough times."

"That doesn't mean you need to get hurt!" he shouted, helping her stand on her feet. Turning to scrutinize the room, he growled before turning back to her. "Look, just…find a chair or something. I'll find something to cover that."

"But Seto, we have to—"

"We aren't going anywhere until you're bandaged up," he interrupted. He didn't want to admit it, but the attack startled him. It didn't matter if he was hurt, and he distinctly remembered telling her that if she was injured he was not to be blamed, but seeing that wound on her caused his heart to skip a beat. "_She doesn't deserve to get hurt because of my fucked-up past,_" he thought as he began walking around the room, examining all the tables and cabinets for anything that could be useful. He growled, as all he seemed able to find was glass beakers, vials, cleaning supplies, and empty syringes. After looking for several minutes on both sides of the room, emptying out cabinets and clearing away experimental paraphernalia as he moved about, he sighed in frustration before grabbing a thin paper towel from a roller and running back to her. She was sitting on one of the empty tables in the center of the room, pushing the wires which were hanging from the ceiling to the side to make room for herself. Placing the paper towel along her cut, he said, "If you can manage to clean it up a little with this, we can search this floor for some medical supplies. There _has _to be something that we can use."

"Seto, seriously, it's not that deep," she insisted, looking back at him with a determined air. "We need to find that keycard and get to Sterner."

"I know we do, but I'm not letting you walk around injured like this," he argued. A thin line of blood was slowly tracing down her arm, and the sight made him sick. "Now come on. Let's look for some supplies."

"Shouldn't we examine this room for the keycard first?"

"I've already looked through mostly everything. I don't think it's in here." Taking a step back, he watched as she carefully pushed herself off the table, her injured arm shaking considerably from the pressure. His lips pursed together, and for a split second he contemplated carrying her around until her arm was better. But she smiled up at him, her right hand holding the pathetic paper towel close to her wound, and chuckled. "What?" he asked, placing his hand on his hip. "What are you laughing at?"

"You!" she exclaimed, her chuckling only increasing. "You were so cautious when we first arrived, telling me over and over that you weren't liable for me, that I had to be concerned for my own safety, and now that I have a cut, you are freaking out over me!"

"Would you rather I not care?" he asked, glaring down at her. Why was she mocking him like this?

"Oh no, not at all! In fact, I am…happy that you care about me this much. I mean, it makes me…well, happy."

His lips parted in surprise, yet he found no words to say. He cared for her well-being…why was that such a shock? "I…" The word hung in the air, and he sighed before shaking his head. "Never mind, let's go. There has to be something we can use to clean that up."

"Right." Hearing her footsteps behind him, he felt his heart skip again and swiftly turned to face her.

"Just promise me one thing," he stated, looking directly into her eyes. "_Never_ do that again."

She frowned at his request and shook her head no, causing him to blink in surprise. "If there is anything I can do to protect you, I will do it," she remarked, seeming to sense his astonishment. "We are partners, a team, and I care about you just as much as you care about me, maybe even more so. I can't make a promise that I know I can't keep."

His heart was still beating rapidly despite the fact that he knew they were no longer in danger. "Anzu…just…be careful, okay?"

She nodded her head and glanced down at her wound. The blood was beginning to soak through the paper towel, and Seto shuddered slightly at the grotesque mark against her pale skin. "Come on, let's go," he said. He spun around and began crossing the room, and as he listened to Anzu's footsteps behind him, he thought, "_She isn't that hurt. She even said the cut wasn't that deep. So why do I feel so…concerned?_" He peeked back at her as he opened the door and saw her smiling at him. He couldn't help but smile back, ignoring his pounding heart as he did so.


	23. CH 23 : Inner Wounds

Chapter 23 : Inner Wounds

She felt bad for their current situation but knew Seto would not be swayed by her words. Her wound wasn't as bad as he seemed to think it was. After the initial shock of being attacked, all she had felt was the blood dripping down her arm. The cut stung a bit but had since died down. It was hardly comparable to the bruise that was forming along Seto's neck, as well as his marks from the first attack from the creature in the elevator. Yet here they were, scouring the hallway for any doors which led to an infirmary, completely disregarding their current mission. "_I keep telling him that I am fine, that we need to be looking for this keycard, but he won't listen to me,_" she thought, watching as he opened what felt like the fifth door in the hallway and peeked inside, shaking his head in disappointment before backing out and moving on. "_Why is so determined to find this infirmary for me? He warned me from the start that he wasn't liable for anything that happened to me. Now that something has, he is freaking out over it. Is it that he didn't care before and now he does, or did he worry about my safety from the start but fear showing it? He didn't want to hint that there was any danger to Mokuba, if I remember correctly, and maybe telling me that it was my duty to watch my back was part of the façade. Still, I hate him worrying over me like this. It isn't right._"

Turning the corner and entering another hallway, she was about to tell him to give up on the search when a bright light caught her attention. She blinked in surprise and glanced over to see a window looking into what appeared to be a large infirmary. Beds lined the far wall, and glass cabinets, both open and closed, were lined along both sides of the room. From her position, she could see a table located underneath the window she was looking through, several vases full of dying flowers located in front of the glass. "This must be it," Seto stated. He jogged ahead and smiled when he found the electronic entrance door. Looking back at her, he said, "Come on, let's see if there's anything we can use."

Smiling, she rushed to the entrance and entered the bright room. It was cozier than any of the previous areas they had been in, and for a second, she wondered if it was truly part of the facility. The vases of flowers, as well as several pictures of various islands and cities, seemed to give the room a more down-to-earth quality. It didn't feel like the infirmary of a high-tech, genetic engineering, underground corporation. It felt like a nurse's office, welcoming and warming. It didn't belong with the rest of the facility, that was for sure.

"Now, let's see what they've got," Seto muttered, immediately getting to work. He began opening the various glass cabinets and metal drawers, and she smiled widely when she saw various forms of medicine and cleaning materials.

"Perhaps we'll get lucky, and the keycard will be in here," she added, walking to the other side of the room. Opening the large, metal cabinet, she smirked at the large amount of paper towels, regular towels, and patient robes organized in various stacks.

"Highly doubtful, although it would be rather nice, wouldn't it?"

"Well, we passed by all those rooms on our way here. I would hate it if we had to backtrack because we came here first."

"I would rather make sure your wound is properly cleaned before moving on with the mission," he stated, taking out several containers of medical supplies before shutting the drawers.

"I'm telling you, it's not that big of a deal," she repeated, her tone hinting her slight annoyance.

"It is if I say it is. Now come over here and let me clean it up."

Sighing in defeat, she closed the cabinet and walked back to his side, holding her arm out for him. He grabbed her elbow with a surprisingly soft touch and began to carefully spray anti-bacterial substance along the slit of the wound. She flinched slightly and glanced up at him, shocked by his focus and sincerity. "_He really looks concerned about this, and he isn't messing around. Why is he so worried? Why does he care so much that I got hurt?_"

"Seto…" He blinked and glanced up at her, yet once he did, she lost everything she was going to say. Shaking her head, she whispered, "Sorry, I just…thanks for this."

"It's nothing," he whispered, returning to the matter at hand. Taking a soft paper towel, he gently dabbed it along the cut, cleaning up the blood and excess spray as he did so. He then let go of her arm for a minute in order to grab some medical tape from another plastic container. Returning to her, he slowly began wrapping the tape around her arm, asking her every few seconds if it felt too tight or too loose. The precision of his medical treatment, as well as the concern which was evident in his tone of voice, startled her.

"There, it's done," he stated, backing away and smirking down at her. Her upper arm was completely bandaged, and she had to admit that it felt much nicer than before.

"Th-Thanks," she stuttered, smiling up at him. "I… I wish I could have done the same when you were hurt."

"There were no medical supplies available," he reminded her as he began closing the containers. "Besides, you saved me from that creature. The least I could do was bandage your arm for you."

"Is that why you did it?" she asked. "Repayment for a previous deed?"

Her words seemed to shock him, for his eyes widened in surprise and revealed a sudden glint of sadness. She immediately regretted her callous remark and went to take it back when he frowned and walked away from the counter. He approached the nearest bed and sat on the end of it, leaning forward and placing his elbows on his knees. "I was just concerned, is all," he stated, his voice becoming cold again.

Frowning, she glanced down at her arm before peeking at the medical supplies. She opened one of the containers, examining the contents inside, before asking, "Is there anything that might help with your neck?"

"I don't think so. It feels like a bruise; I can't feel any openings in the skin. No amount of cleaning supplies would help."

She nodded in agreement before returning her attention to the CEO. Taking several steps forward, she bit her lower lip before saying, "Thank you…very much for this. It means a lot." He looked back at her and nodded his head. She smiled, wondering if it meant forgiveness, when he returned his attention to the floor in front of him. Deciding to try and strike up another conversation, she said, "You know, you did this pretty well. Most would be fumbling with the medical tape or making a mess with the spray. How did you know how to clean it so well?"

"I've fixed up wounds before," he muttered, sitting up straight before releasing a heavy sigh. Closing his eyes, he fell back onto the bed, his body seemingly sinking into the soft comforter. His hands rested on his stomach, and Anzu pictured him looking like he did now in his sleep. The image of the CEO sleeping in his large bed at the mansion caused her to blush ever so slightly.

"Did you have to do so at the orphanage?" she asked, leaning against the counter and placing her hands in front of her.

"A little," he admitted. "If Mokuba ever got injured, or if I got a cut, I generally fixed it myself. The nurse at the place was a creep, and neither I nor Mokuba liked him very much. We tried to avoid him as much as possible."

"I see… So, what are you going to do when you get out of here?"

He frowned and turned his head to the side in order to see her. "What do you mean?"

"Well, if we survive this mess, what are you going to do?"

"We'll survive," he stated, returning his gaze to the ceiling. Closing his eyes, he shrugged and said, "I don't know. Mokuba will probably yell and scream at me for not calling him, telling me over and over again that he had been right about this place being dangerous. But I won't mind. I'll probably give him a hug or something. I'll just be happy to see him again."

She chuckled at the mental image that went through her mind. Little, playful Mokuba pestering Seto, Seto just smiling down at him and nodding every couple of seconds. Seto leaning down and hugging his younger brother, Mokuba returning the hug while scolding his brother for leaving him alone. It was cute for some odd reason. "What about you?" he asked, jarring her out of the mental image. "What will you do?"

"Oh, I don't know," she answered. "Probably see the gang and talk to them. I miss them… They've always been around to support me. Not that you aren't providing enough support," she added, noticing the glare sent in her direction at the mere mention of Yugi and the gang. "It's strange… I've never thought about death or dying, but I suppose in this place it could honestly happen. I want to see them at least once more in my life, you know? Just to thank them for all the memories and such…"

"Don't _ever_ think that way," he abruptly scolded, his glare intensifying. "You can't think that way. If you start, you'll immediately fail. I've only thought that way once, and I learned a valuable lesson. I can't. Once I started, I began spiraling downwards. I had no control. It was only through regaining self-confidence and determination that I succeeded in what I was doing. No matter how bleak a situation may seem, you have to look at the end goal and keep focused. At least…that's how I've survived."

His sudden statements pierced her, and she blinked in surprise at him. "How you've survived," she repeated under her breath, frowning at the deep connotation such a statement held.

He chuckled. "You can ask if you want to."

She frowned and tilted her head to the side in confusion before it sunk in what he said. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she whispered, "You mean…about what Sterner said?"

He smirked and nodded before returning his gaze to the ceiling. "Yeah. We have a moment, so…ask away."

"Isn't that… I mean, you usually don't…"

"I wouldn't offer to tell you if I didn't trust you," he stated, his eyes focused on the white tile ceiling. "Besides, this bed feels comfortable for my neck, and I wouldn't mind sitting here for a few minutes. We have the time, and you have my trust. So, I'll say it again. Ask away."

It was strange. Before, she would have jumped at the opportunity of asking the great, cold-hearted CEO of KaibaCorp all about his mysterious childhood. What was it like growing up in the orphanage? Being raised by a multibillionaire? Having access to nearly all forms of technology available by age 15? But now that she was allowed to ask the one question she had desperately wanted to ask since she first heard Sterner speak over the intercom in the security room, she was silent. She felt like she was taking advantage of him, that she was forcing him into this. She didn't want that. It didn't feel fair to her.

"I'm waiting…" he whispered, his eyelids slowly closing. "Unless, of course, you aren't interested any longer. It doesn't matter to me either way."

"N-No, of course I'm interested, it's just… I mean, what Sterner said was rather…shocking."

"No, I understand. It's a rough subject." Opening his eyes, yet never letting them wander away from the ceiling, he whispered, "Sterner was correct, however. I was…beaten as a child…by Gozaburo."

A lump formed in her throat, and she quickly swallowed it.

"Only Mokuba and Gozaburo know. Not even the Big 5, to my knowledge, know about it, although I'm sure Gozaburo dropped hints here and there. Who knows, maybe my wounds gave it away as well. But yes, shortly after Gozaburo was forced into adopting Mokuba and I, he began taking out his frustrations on me. If you have any questions, feel free to ask."

It sounded grotesque, the way he casually spoke of something so horrific. Did she have any questions? Ha, only a million. Why did he do it? How did he get away with it? Why didn't Seto say something? What were the beatings like? Did Seto do all the bandaging, all the healing, on his own? How did nobody else see what was going on? What about Mokuba?

The last thought struck her hard, and she decided it would be a good starting point. "Was Mokuba…subjected to the same thing?" she asked, her voice low and shaky.

"No," he answered swiftly. "No, I never let Gozaburo touch him. I made sure he was safe and sound, even if it meant an even harsher beating. Hell, he is the reason I dealt with it for so long. I knew that if I ever showed weakness, it would be him next. I couldn't let that happen at all costs, so I made sure that Gozaburo focused solely on me."

"Why would he do such a thing to you after adopting you?"

"Well, he didn't adopt us because of the kindness in his heart. I challenged him to a game of chess and made a deal with him. I beat him despite his title as a grand champion chess player, and he was forced to adopt the two of us. I knew we would have opportunity available if we were the adopted sons of a multibillionaire, but I never imagined it getting so out of hand." Sighing, he added, "As for the beatings, I believe they began once I started questioning his harsh schedules and rigorous courses. I worked day and night; I rarely had time to eat, sleep, or enjoy extra activities. I was forced to study and learn how to become a CEO, and he felt that adolescent emotions were holding me back. So he…used some rather extreme measures in attempt to make me stronger."

"What did he do to you?" she asked, the question making her nearly vomit. She wished she hadn't asked such a disgusting question, but it slipped through her lips all the same.

"Most of the time he would just toss me around like a beanie bag," he stated. "He would sometimes punch or kick me, particularly if I was starting to fall behind in my studies. But no, he generally liked tossing me around the room. I'd get bruises from all the objects I'd be shoved into, and sometimes he would blame objects breaking or things tearing on me being a rambunctious child, passing all the guilt from himself to me. I think one or two of the servants became suspicious, but whenever I noticed one taking any interest in my wounds, they would be fired by the end of the week. He knew to keep a close eye on the situation; child abuse wouldn't look good on the CEO of KaibaCorp's reputation."

The mental image of a young Seto Kaiba being thrown into bookshelves and desks like a rag doll made her squirm. It was no wonder he was so distrusting of others. He had sacrificed himself for his younger brother, and in return, he had been taken advantage of and worked like a slave. He never had a childhood, never enjoyed his teenage years. At age eighteen, she realized that the CEO of KaibaCorp had never fully enjoyed life. So was it such a shock that he seemed to lack emotions in front of others? Was it so surprising that he rarely talked with those around him or tried making friends? And was it so astonishing that he never shared his past with anyone other than his brother?

"What happened made me who I am today," he concluded. He slowly pushed himself up to a sitting position, wincing slightly in pain as he did so, and turned to stare directly at her. "I don't regret taking those beatings, as I kept Mokuba safe. He now has all the opportunity in the world to succeed in whatever he wants, and we live comfortable lives. That's all I wanted, and that's what I have. I don't tell you these things because I want pity from you. I'm telling you this because I know you are curious and you have earned my respect. I care about you, no matter how shocking that sounds, and I know you care about me due to the fact that you've repeatedly told me so since this whole thing first began. So…now you know, and now we can put it behind us."

"How can you put something like that so easily behind you?" she asked, watching him as he stood from the edge of the bed and stretched his arms out.

"I didn't say it was easy," he retorted. "It was necessary. If I lived with the trauma I endured from that man, I wouldn't be able to hold a part-time waiter position let alone manage an entire corporation. I suppose it came with his "emotional training," but over time I just learned to blur it in my mind. It was how I dealt with it, and while doctors can argue all they want about how safe such a way of dealing with the past is, it's kept me going all this time. And that's what's important for me."

Not knowing what else to do, she quickly reached out and wrapped her arms around him, placing her head against his chest. She heard him chuckle before feeling his arms wrap around her upper body. Leaning his head down, he whispered, "It's okay. You couldn't have done anything, so you shouldn't feel an ounce of blame. Wasn't that your advice?"

She tried to smile but found that she couldn't. "It's not the same…"

"Perhaps not. But don't worry about it. You know now… You should be thankful I even told you. At least now you may better understand me."

She nodded her head and tightened her grip around him. Feeling his head rest lightly on top of hers, she felt the traces of a smile tug at her lips and said, "Thank you…so much for this."

He nodded before releasing his grip on her. She slowly released him as well and stared up at him, happy to see him smirking down at her. His blue eyes suddenly didn't look as cold as they used to. The wall he had built was somehow leveled. It felt different, staring at him, than it did before. Not knowing what else to say, she asked, "Should we…start looking for that keycard again?"

Inhaling a large breath of air, he said, "Yeah, let's go."

She smiled and glanced down at her bandaged wound before returning her attention to him. He began walking towards the exit of the infirmary, and as she trailed behind him, she realized that she felt something new for the CEO. Something new…and something that she feared would never be reciprocated…


	24. CH 24 : Discovery

_Author's Note: Whoo, I've been quick to update this week! *Probably jinxed herself by typing this* Ah-hem, anyways, I just want to ask a favor from you guys. There's a good amount of action near the end of this chapter, and I ask that you criticize the hell out of it for me! I know I need to improve my action sequences, so any and all criticism will be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance! You guys are awesome!_

* * *

Chapter 24 : Discovery

It was strange how easy it had been to speak about those events. The events in his life that he relived night after night, the events that he had taken medication for in order to try and forget, the events that, as he said, shaped him into the man he was today. It was so strange, perhaps even surreal, how effortlessly the answers to her questions slipped through his lips and entered the air. He was shocked by how casual he was during the conversation. And the fact that he told her about the types of beatings surprised him in particular. He didn't even tell Mokuba those details; all the kid knew was that Seto had taken some harsh abuse from their adopted father. He didn't know about the punches, the kicks, the throwing of objects back and forth…

What was equally strange was the sincere affection he felt for her during those few moments of rest. As they had relaxed in the infirmary, he replayed the entire episode of their time together thus far in his mind, and he realized how much they had grown in such a short span of time. "_I can't deny that I care about her more now than I did when we first arrived,_" he thought as he aimed his weapon and opened a nearby door. They were back to focusing on their mission, and they had decided that, rather than retracing their steps, they would simply move forward, hoping that the keycard they were looking for was in one of the many storage rooms located on the floor. All they had come across was medical supply rooms, filled with cabinets of syringes, antibiotics, and testing equipment. He heard another door open behind him and spun around to see that Anzu was investigating the opposite room. Both rooms were copier rooms, and they shrugged at one another before continuing on.

"_When we first got here, I didn't know what to think about taking her along. I was worried she would get in the way, that she would interfere with my plans. Now, just a few hours later, she's saved my life twice, and I have confessed to her what transpired between Gozaburo and me, a secret I was ready to take to the grave._" Peeking over at her, he thought to himself, "_What will happen when we go back to the real world?_"

The thought was bittersweet. Sure, he wanted to get out of this hellhole, and finding a cure to his dementia was what he was fighting and nearly dying for. But then…would they…

Shaking his head in frustration, he snickered and thought, "_No. I am not getting sentimental at a time like this. Emotions… They can wait until later. We still have to find the keycard, and we still have to find this damn cure. I haven't had an attack in some time, and that either means that I am getting lucky or it's going to hit me at a bad point. And luck has never been on my side…_"

"Hey Seto, what do you think of this room?" Anzu abruptly asked, catching his attention. He turned to see that she was pointing through a long window into a pitch black room. Next to her was an electronic door. He frowned and turned the nearby corner, noticing another long window that spanned the length of the room.

"Let's check it out," he said, retracing his steps and following close behind her. She opened the door and stepped inside, jumping as the lights immediately turned on, illuminating the entire room.

"I hate these automatic lights," she remarked as he entered the room behind her. "They creep the hell out of me."

"They are actually quite useful for laboratories and testing rooms," he replied, lowering his pistol after scanning the room for signs of life and finding none. "Sometimes when you are dealing with chemicals or certain electrical cords, you have to wear special gloves or you risk getting injured. Switching lights on and off would get tedious and could cause minor damage."

"Are you serious?"

"I have my virtual reality chair in a room with similar lighting measures. It also allows for some saving of energy, believe it or not. As you stay in the room for longer periods of time, the lights slowly dim, but just enough so that you don't notice it. I don't know why they bother using these in storage rooms, but I am not questioning it."

"Interesting… But they're still creepy."

He chuckled and shook his head once more before taking a minute to examine the room. It was another storage room, though different than the ones they had previously encountered. Several gurneys lined both the left and right walls, and in the center was a line of cabinets that seemed to open on both sides. The only wall without windows was the left wall; the other three had long, glass windows, granting them a view of the adjacent hallways. Most of the gurneys were covered in blood, indicating that they had been used, yet one or two still remained rather sanitary. "Where do you think all this blood came from?" she asked as he began approaching the filing cabinets.

"They were most likely used by the scientists in order to transport the wounded quickly to the nearby infirmary," he stated. "Or they could have been used to transport the creatures. Either way, to keep all of these gurneys in storage is rather bizarre."

"This whole thing is bizarre," she corrected. He smirked and nodded in agreement before opening the first metal cabinet. Peering inside, he realized there was no barrier in the middle. Anzu opened the same cabinet from the other side, blinked in surprise upon seeing him, and chuckled before waving at him. "Guess there's nothing in here," she noted, shutting the door. He closed the door as well and moved to the end of the aisle, where he started opening the cabinets at the opposite end in order to cover more ground.

"I don't know what you're seeing, but I'm finding a lot of folders and documents in some of these cabinets," she stated. "Do you want me to look through them and see if the keycard is somewhere inside?"

"Sure," he answered, opening the next cabinet. She was right; inside were piles of manila folders and documents, all organized in various stacks. There were three shelves total, all of them filled with documents. He sighed and scanned the tops of the piles, seeing nothing of interest. Moving on to the next cabinet, he opened the door and was shocked to see a single, large keycard lying on the top shelf. It had a blue tint to it, and as he took it in his hand, he read on the front **MASTER-ALL**. Underneath read the number RX789. A note lying beneath the card read: _Sterner, this is repayment for safely getting me out of here. I hope the next to use it manages to escape as well._

"_Is this…what we are looking for?_" he thought in surprise, the notion that they had found what they were looking for taking a few seconds to sink in. "_What was it doing lying here? Who left it behind? Who did he help escape?_"

"Find anything?" asked Anzu as she opened the door to the other side of the cabinet. She gasped in surprise, and Seto smirked and held up the keycard in his hand.

"Yeah, this," he answered. "It says "Master-All" on the front, so I assume this is the card we are looking for." Instead of a smile or note of praise, however, her eyes widened even further, and her lips began to quiver. He frowned and asked, "What is it? What's wrong?"

She slowly pointed in the direction behind him, and he turned and gasped in surprise. One of the creatures from before, similar to the previous two they had encountered, was standing right outside the window, staring menacingly at the two. Its smile was wide and cracked, its teeth metallic and sharp, and its tongue lashed out against the window, creating a slimy trail. It pressed itself against the wall, its tongue continuing its movements, and Seto backed away in both disgust and fear. Its claws began sliding up and down, creating cracks and cuts in the glass.

"Where do these things keep coming from?" she asked, her voice low.

"I don't know, but I'm getting tired of them," he stated, raising his weapon and aiming it at the creature. Just as he was about to fire, however, he heard a sudden break in the electrical power, and the lights went out. His heart stopped, and for a split second, he felt himself shiver in fear. Stuck in pitch black darkness, he heard Anzu scream and growled before feeling his way around the cabinets. Rushing to her side, he grabbed her hand and whispered, "Shh, don't say anything."

"O-O-Okay," she whispered, her entire body shaking in fear.

He frowned at the sound of her voice and tightened his grip on her hand, hoping it would comfort her. After several seconds of standing and contemplating what to do, the electricity kicked back on, and the lights turned on in full force. The electronic door blinked red, and for a split second he wondered if the creature would break through the door just as the previous one had. When nothing moved, he sighed heavily and turned to face Anzu. Tears were streaming down her face, and he quickly wiped them away. "It's okay, we'll be fine," he stated.

"Or will you be?"

The sound of his voice caused Seto to freeze; his mind did not want to fathom what he just heard. As he turned towards the direction it had come from, he heard the sound of a television monitor click on. He saw in the upper corner of the room a small screen and speaker and realized there was yet another intercom in the room. There, staring down at him and Anzu, was none other than Gozaburo Kaiba.

"You bastard!" he shouted, raising his pistol at the screen.

"Well, well, looks like you're even more stubborn than I gave you credit for," he stated, smirking down at the two with a condescending glare. "Although you do appear to be rather damaged, don't you? I suppose those visions have been keeping you from enjoying life, haven't they?"

He growled and released his hand from Anzu's, clenching it into a tight fist.

"Now that you two have had your fun running around and messing up my facility, I am going to take control of what has been mine all along," he remarked. "Sterner has sided with you and has been helping you along the way. That's right, I know you've had an ally for quite some time. Unfortunately, the bastard is rather good at his job, but don't worry, you won't hear from him any longer. He has been kicked out of the system, and he won't be able to communicate with the two of you anymore. Now it's just the three of us…well, four really…"

Seto shuddered and turned as the sound of the creature slamming into the door attracted their attention. "Now, this door is a bit more reinforced, but that doesn't mean he won't break through like the previous one did," Gozaburo taunted. "And once he does, he'll be sure to kill both of you on sight. Of course, you may want this by now, wouldn't you Seto?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" he asked, returning his attention to the monitor. He could hear Anzu preparing her weapon and knew that she would tell him if the creature broke through.

"Oh please. You couldn't possibly have forgotten all the torture I put you through. All those times I beat you as a child, all those times you disobeyed me and my orders! And now, now you have those pesky visions to deal with! I am so happy they were a success, although I lost my real son in the testing process. But that is no concern of mine any longer. You, Seto, have been quite a useful test subject. But now you have become obsolete. Once I free myself from this facility, with you dead, I will regain control of KaibaCorp, and you will become nothing more than a simple memory! I will continue my genetic research until I create the ultimate weapon, and there will be nothing anyone can do to stop me!"

"How can you be so immoral!" Anzu shouted, taking a step towards the screen as she did so. "You sacrifice your real son in the virtual reality, and you condemn your adopted son to a terrible past! How can you call yourself human when you seem to lack all the emotions that makes one so?"

"For your information, young lady, I am no longer as human as I was that day I was forced into adopting that brat standing next to you," he stated, smirking contemptuously as he did so. "I placed myself inside a virtual reality as well, and through a series of tests, I have made myself into a most perfect machine. Sterner thinks he can just shut me off and replace me as head of this facility, yet he has no idea of the tests I conducted on myself. He thinks he can outsmart me? Ha! I will show him what it means to be superior! But first, I need to deal with two, little pests who kept disappearing whenever I thought I found them."

Another bash against the door caused Seto to shudder once more. "Why did you do this to these people?" he shouted, his anger turning swiftly into rage. "Why did you kill all of these people in an attempt to create your ultimate monster? Why did you have to perform these genetic experiments on innocents? Why imprison your own scientists for your own damn sake?"

"Why? Because I can, that's why! Didn't I teach you that lesson, Seto, or did you happen to fall asleep? Or maybe you were unconscious… I remember several times you were knocked out cold. I suppose getting hit every so often takes its toll on a young boy's body." He loudly growled and clenched his teeth. Raising his pistol, he fired two bullets at the monitor, watching as it fizzled in and out. "Hahaha…good luck out there…" The monitor soon clicked off, as did the speakers, and Seto lowered his weapon before flinching at the sound of glass breaking.

"Seto!" Anzu shouted, and he spun around to see that the creature, apparently tired of slamming into the door, had broken the glass window. Its tongue lashed out, and black saliva dripped to the floor. The sound of its teeth clenching and unclenching was loud enough to echo down the hallways. "What are we going to do?"

"We're going to fight it, just like we did last time!" he exclaimed, taking a step forward and firing several rounds at the creature. It flinched at the contact and fell backwards out of the room, and he swiftly turned to look at her. "We can do this, Anzu! If we keep firing at him, we may be able to keep him at a distance. It will waste a bit of ammo, but we have the keycard! If we can get out of here, we can find our way back to the elevator and get the cure! We can do this, you hear me?"

"Yeah, I hear ya!" she shouted, smiling and winking at him before aiming her gun in the direction of the creature. He smiled and returned his attention to the monster, who was grabbing the edge of the window frame with its claws. It hissed at the two, and as Seto and Anzu continued firing at it, it jumped forward with surprising speed. Pushing Anzu out of the way, he felt the creature push him to the ground and immediately kicked it off of him. He then quickly got back on his feet, hearing Anzu's shots ring out in the relatively small room as he did so, and aimed once more.

The creature, who had also regained its position, jumped onto the ceiling and dug its claws into the tiles. Its tongue reached out and grabbed Seto's wrist, disarming him and catching him off-guard, yet he was swiftly released when Anzu's shots fired through the dark muscle. Blood poured from the creature's mouth, and it screeched in pain before falling back to the floor. Seto rushed to the side and picked up his pistol, firing two bullets at the creature before running for cover behind the cabinets.

"I need to reload!" he shouted, hoping Anzu could hear him over her gunshots. "If you can stall him for a minute, I—"

"Seto, look out!"

Blinking in surprise at the sound of more glass breaking, he swiftly turned and gasped at the sight of another creature standing outside the room. It screeched upon gaining entrance and lashed through the opening. Reaching out for him, the second creature grabbed him by the chest and pinned him to the ground. Seto grabbed the creature's hand and yanked it away, kicking him square in the chest before pushing himself back up for a second time. Grabbing his weapon, he quickly reloaded and fired several rounds at the creature, watching as it slowly recoiled. The first creature, meanwhile, was now shrieking, and the sight of blood spilling over to his side of the room indicated that Anzu had indeed killed it.

"I'm reloading; I'll be there in a second!" she cried out to him.

He nodded, despite knowing that she couldn't see him, and went to fire when he felt a strong force shove him into the nearby cabinets. Slamming hard into the metal, he coughed and slid to the floor, growling at the sight of yet another creature. "Shit…where are they coming from?"

The third creature grabbed him by the throat and lifted him in the air, and he swiftly lifted his arm and began firing directly into its face. Black blood splattered everywhere, yet the creature's grip tightened. He continued firing until the magazine was empty, but the creature held strong. Just as he felt himself losing oxygen, he saw several shots fire from behind him. The creature hissed and released him, and as he fell to his feet, he turned to see Anzu smirking and aiming her pistol through the open cabinet. She then disappeared, and he soon heard her firing at the second creature.

"_We can do this,_" he repeated to himself, staring at the creature before him. Taking the box of ammo out of his pocket, he attempted to reload his weapon when the creature leapt towards him. He kicked the creature in the head and smirked as it fell to the floor. Finished with his reloading, he approached the creature and aimed at its skull, hoping to finish this once and for all, when the creature's tongue suddenly lashed out and pushed him back with surprising force. Stunned, he could only watch as it shot up to its feet and rushed him, digging its claw directly into his left arm. He cried out in pain, feeling the blood begin oozing from his arm, and within seconds he felt the creature grab him by the collar of his shirt. He sensed himself being lifted above the floor, and before he could aim at the creature, he was thrust overhead onto one of the gurneys. The gurney caved in underneath him, smashing to the ground. The force of the impact was nothing like he had ever felt before, and his breathing hitched in his throat as the creature released him. Gaining a little air, he began to cough violently, yet his mind was now spinning rapidly. His head was pounding, and his body felt numb. He could feel the material from the gurney underneath him, but all sound was swiftly drowning out. His vision turned grey within seconds, and as his vision faded, he distinctly heard the sound of Anzu screaming his name. He attempted to push himself up, but the impact had been too much. Everything grew fainter, and he quickly fell into darkness.


	25. CH 25 : Safe Haven

_Author's Note: Thanks for all of the critiques of my previous chapter! They were quite helpful, and I appreciate you guys taking the time out to do it for me! The reason I asked for it is that I am (hopefully) going to work on publishing my second novel this summer, and I plan on writing several large action sequences. Action is not my strongest writing point, and I know I can count on you guys for very constructive criticism. So thanks to everyone, and I promise to work on improving my talents!

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Chapter 25 : Safe Haven

The sound of a loud crash caught her attention, and as soon as she heard it, her eyes widened in terror. "Seto?" she screamed, her heart stopping when she received no answer. Her body began shaking, and she glared at the monster standing in front of her before shouting, "You sick son of a bitch!" Firing the rest of her magazine into the creature, she watched as it screeched and fell to the floor, its tongue falling mere inches in front of her. Its body twitched once or twice, yet she instead focused her attention on reloading her gun. She could hear the third creature coming around the corner of the cabinets, and without Seto to help her, she realized she was on her own.

"Seto, are you okay?" she shouted, placing the bullets into the magazine as quickly as she could. Raising her pistol, she turned to look at both ends of the cabinets for any sign of life. No answer. She felt her lips quivering and repeated, "Seto, are you okay?" Still nothing. Her heart felt heavy. "_No…no… This can't be happening…_"

The creature turned the corner and smiled wickedly at her. She noticed a good amount of red blood on its claw, causing her stomach to spin inside her. Its tongue fell to the floor, and right as it prepared to lunge at her, a slew of gunfire could suddenly be heard. It sounded as though it was coming from every direction, and Anzu, having lost her courage to fight, screamed in horror and fell to her knees. Closing her eyes, she placed her hands over her ears to protect them from the loud gunshots. It echoed like heavy weaponry, and she had no idea who was firing or from where. Tears streamed down her face. She thought she was going to die right then and there. "Seto…Seto…" She kept repeating his name to herself, hoping against hope that he was okay on the other side.

After several seconds of constant gunfire, she heard it cease and slowly opened her eyes. The creature fell to the floor in front of her, its body filled with bullet holes. Blood seemed to pour from every part, and what had looked like a demon before now looked like a black mass of liquids. She could hear several people lowering their weapons, and a man she had never heard speak before said, "The room is clear. All targets eliminated. Survivor, please come forward."

She didn't know what to do. Her thoughts were sporadic, and her body felt numb. She slowly pushed herself to her feet, swaying ever so slightly as she did so, and peeked around the corner of the cabinets. The flash of nearly fifteen guns greeted her, and she realized that the entire room had been surrounded by scientists. They lined the three open walls, their guns aimed through the gaps that were once windows. All of them were wearing the traditional cloaked attire, making it impossible for her to distinguish one scientist from another. Several lights seemed to be pointed directly at her, blinding her vision.

"State your name, survivor. You are not a scientist, that is certain. What was your number?"

"My…number?"

"Sir, do you think she is one of the intruders?" a woman asked.

"Could be," he answered. "I'll ask again, and this is your last chance. What is your name?"

"My name…is…" Her eyes wandered the room. She didn't want to answer them. They had saved her, yes, but they were still the enemy. Instead, she took the opportunity to scan the rest of the room. Her eyes trailed the line of gurneys, and her breath caught in her throat when she finally perceived Seto. She gasped in horror and whimpered loudly, her hands coming up to wipe the sudden tears from her face. She couldn't make out much of him from the blinding lights, but she knew that he was lying still, meaning he was unconscious…or worse.

"I don't think she knows what is happening, sir," the woman stated. "We should take her back and sedate her. When she becomes calm, we may be able to get some answers from her."

"Yes, we should do that," he responded. Seeing a laser pointed at her chest, she glanced in its direction to see a tall scientist standing directly across from her. "Come with us now. We do not mean to hurt you."

She stood still. She knew that they had yet to spot Seto, and there was no way she was going to leave him there. The lights from their weapons blinded her, but she had to know just how injured he was. She had to know if he was still okay.

"She isn't responding, sir," the woman noted. "Should we shoot her?"

"No!" the man exclaimed. "That would only upset her. Come on, child, you need to come back to your room."

"Sir, I don't remember ever seeing an experiment like her before," another male scientist remarked. "I think Amelia's right in her being the intruder."

"Really? Is that so, young lady? Are you one of our intruders?"

"I…I…" She didn't know what to say. To answer yes would mean her death. To answer no would waste valuable time. She had to get Seto, but if she moved, they would fire.

"This isn't getting us anywhere!" the woman shouted. Another laser soon pointed at her, and she flinched in response. "Let's just get rid of her and—"

The hum of the hallway lights turning off suddenly broke through the woman's voice, and an abrupt alarm could be heard throughout the area. Red emergency lights flashed on, startling everyone, including Anzu. "Attention, attention!" a robotic male's voice stated. "Temporary shutdown of all systems will begin in ten seconds. All scientists are asked to return to their posts at this time. This is not a drill. Attention, attention…"

"Shit!" the man shouted. All weapons lowered, and he ordered, "Leave her behind! Return to the testing facility; the creatures will be released at any second!"

Just as he said this, all light sources went out once more. Anzu took this moment of opportunity to drop to her knees and crawl towards the wall, her hands crunching pieces of glass beneath them. She squirmed at the touch of blood, glass, and bullets but continued pushing forward. The pounding of the scientists' feet filled her ears but soon died down, indicating their departure. Just as she felt a hand in hers, the red emergency lights came back on, and the sight before her caused her to scream.

"Seto! Seto!"

He was unconscious, lying on top of a ruined gurney. Blood poured from a long, thin cut in his arm onto floor. She swiftly reached forward and pulled him off the destroyed gurney, placing her fingers against his neck in an attempt to find his pulse. She managed to find it, causing her to sigh in relief, but it was weak, and his breathing was labored. Lifting him to her chest, ignoring the blood as she did so, she cried openly and shouted, "Seto, please, wake up! Wake up!"

The sound of static quickly caught her attention, and she glanced over her shoulder towards the television monitor. She was surprised to see a lean man with long, black hair and traces of a moustache staring through the screen. His glasses were rectangular, and he appeared to be wearing the scientist's attire without the attached hood. He frowned at the monitor and spoke, yet no sound came through. She watched as he moved to the side, seemingly toying with something, before the speaker clicked on.

"There, there, can you hear me? Can you hear me, young lady?"

Anzu gasped. It was Sterner! "Sterner, what are you doing?" she shouted, her arms tightening around Seto.

"Getting you out of there, that's what," he stated, smirking down at her. "You have the keycard, I assume, else Gozaburo would not have taken such a sudden action of turning off this facility's maintenance and control systems. I know I told you to return to the elevator you used before, but there is another one just down the hallway which is adjacent to your position. I didn't want you going down there for fear of coming in contact with other scientists, but I see that you have already dealt with that problem. You need to get out of there now; Gozaburo has released everything, even himself, and I cannot help you for much longer."

"But… But Seto…"

"What is wrong?" he frowned and leaned forward, his face coming closer to the screen and widening in the process. "Is he injured?"

"He's bleeding badly and unconscious," she answered, her eyes wandering back down to the limp figure in her arms.

"Shit… I suppose you couldn't carry him along, could you?"

"No…" She stood and attempted to lift him in her arms, yet his dead weight was more than enough to keep her down.

"Don't stress yourself. If you get injured, we're done, and this whole thing goes to Hell. From your position, I can tell you are in our stretcher storage room. Find an empty one and put him on it. Then push him to the elevator."

"Are you serious?" she shouted, staring in wonder at him.

"You need to get out of there!" he shouted, his eyes widening. "Get to an elevator and use that keycard! Once you get to my testing lab, you will be safe, and I have more than enough supplies to heal whatever wounds Seto has incurred. Just—"

The television monitor began fizzling out, and within several seconds it turned completely black. Realizing her options were limited, she sighed in defeat before placing the unconscious CEO on the floor of the room. Standing, she grabbed the closest gurney and pushed down hard on it. It lowered close to the floor, and she placed her hands underneath Seto's arms. Groaning, she carefully lifted him onto the gurney, placing his upper torso on before lifting his legs. She then leaned down and picked up the blue-tinted keycard lying on the floor and placed it in the CEO's lifeless hand. She made sure he was in the center of the gurney and took a second to look at him. Seeing him unconscious made her want to vomit, and for a split second, she felt the bile rise in her throat. He was still bleeding, and she could tell that no amount of yelling would awaken him. Her heart felt dead, and she cried out in anger and slammed her hands onto the stained sheets of the stretcher.

"Seto, you have to wake up!" she shouted, pushing the gurney across the room. Maneuvering it around the corner created by the cabinets, she pushed with all her strength to move it out of the room and down the hallway. Turning the corner, she ignored the shards of glass underneath the wheels and her feet and shoved forward with as much force as possible. She wondered briefly how nurses could ever do their jobs like this, of pushing a patient forward, not knowing how long they had to survive. She didn't know if Seto was close to dying, but given the loss of blood and the size of his wound, she felt that seconds were precious. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she pushed until she reached the end of the hallway. Making a right, she smiled at the sight of the elevator and swiftly took the keycard from Seto's hand. Pulling him off the stretcher, she pressed the button and waited impatiently for the doors to open. Once they did, she dragged him into the elevator, a slight trail of blood dripping on the floor as she did so. She then swiped the card in the reader, and within seconds the elevator doors closed, and the compartment began descending.

Falling to her knees, she slowly pulled the unconscious CEO towards her and let the tears continue to fall down her cheeks. She gently placed her hand on his neck, feeling the pulse beneath, and, without a second thought, leaned down and gently kissed him on the forehead. Her first thought was that he was still warm. He was still alive. She could hear his breathing, and she could see the rise and fall of his chest. "I don't want to lose you now," she thought aloud, wrapping her arms tightly around him. "Please…just hold on a bit longer. Sterner will help you. You'll be okay…"

Her eyes wandered down to the wound on his arm, and she squirmed at the sight of it. It looked like a clean slice through his lower arm, like a wide knife had been slid through. Blood soaked down his arm onto the floor, and she shivered before taking her eyes away from the scene. "You said we would survive…you said we could make it. You can't die… You can't give up now."

The elevator came to a stop, and she glanced up as the doors opened wide. Standing at the entrance was none other than Sterner himself, a wheelchair standing next to him. He blinked in surprise and said, "Oh my, this is rather worse than I anticipated. Here, help me lift him…"

Anzu stood from her position and grabbed Seto's right arm, Sterner grabbing his injured left arm. They carefully lifted him and placed him in the wheelchair, and soon Sterner was wheeling him across the room. Sighing in relief, she took a moment to look around the room they were now in. It was a large laboratory, larger than any she had seen thus far. It was wide and rather spacious. To her right was a corner lined with bookshelves. On her left were rows of cabinets, filled with what she imagined to be reports and other documents. Taking several steps forward, she saw a computer desk to her right as well as a virtual reality machine in the center of the room. Sterner had gone left, and as she trailed behind him, she saw that there was a small station of medical equipment as well as a bed with clean sheets set against the wall. Several countertop spaces gave room for a sink, and a refrigerator stood at the end.

"Welcome to my home, by the way," Sterner remarked as he placed Seto onto the bed. "I'm sorry it's not very cozy, but you must understand that I do most, if not all, of my research in here, so comfort has always been second to scientific pursuits. Fortunately for Mr. Kaiba here, I happen to know several things about the medical profession, so he will be fine. He appears to have lost a good amount of blood, however. Might I ask just what the hell occurred while I was kicked out of the system?"

"We were ambushed by those monsters," Anzu answered, fidgeting slightly as she watched Sterner take out several containers of medical equipment, similar to the ones found in the infirmary.

"Creatures? Oh, you mean the Tethens. We call them that because the first successful one was given a pair of sharp, metallic teeth."

"Right, well… There were three of them that attacked us. I didn't see what happened, but when I found him, it looked like he had been slammed onto a stretcher. The gurney itself was crushed underneath him, and he was unconscious."

"I see. Well, the Tethen must have used its claw on him, because from the looks of it, there is a cut that runs straight through Seto's arm. Don't worry, the cut itself is rather thin. No stitches are required, by the looks of it. Just a lot of cleaning and bandaging."

"No stitches?" she repeated, startled by such a statement.

"A Tethen's claw is very thin, close to that of a knife. You've cut yourself on accident with a knife before, correct? Well, you didn't need stitches for it, unless of course it was a butcher knife. Same here. The cut is just rather long, and it penetrated most but not all the way through his arm. He'll be hurting all right for several days at the very least, but with how thin the slice is, it just needs time and careful maintenance." Smiling, he turned to her and added, "And don't worry, this will not kill him. I don't know how hard of an impact he suffered if a gurney was crushed beneath him, but he is more likely unconscious due to that than the wound here. Although the amount of blood lost doesn't help…"

She sighed in relief and smiled, watching as he put on a pair of gloves before taking out cleaning supplies. "Feel free to sit down or wash yourself up," he stated as he walked to the side of the bed and held out Seto's arm. "You look dreadful, if I do say so myself. Not that I blame you… You two have literally walked through Hell."

Uttering a small thanks, she went to the sink and began pouring hot water. It felt nice, and, taking a paper towel, she dabbed it in the water and began washing her arms and legs off. The blood was beginning to dry, and she realized she would need more than a few paper towels to wash herself properly. She grabbed a small pile and went to continue when a sudden thought struck her. "Hey, Sterner…"

"Yes?"

"Gozaburo… We saw Gozaburo after there was a slight power outage. He said that you had been kicked out of the system and that we wouldn't be able to communicate with you. So how was it that you managed to appear on the television monitor? How have you been tracking us this whole time?"

He smirked and pointed directly across the room. Anzu turned and saw that behind the desk with the computer was a large series of television monitors as well as several small laptops. Each one depicted a different area, reminding her of the security room she and Seto were in earlier. "That, my dear, is a rather large portion of the security system within this facility. I demanded some control over the protection of this place since I helped to build it, and Gozaburo had no choice but to grant my wish. I've been watching you from the monitors and have been able to keep track of your movements. Gozaburo has hacked me out on several occasions, but he didn't realize the extent of power which he granted me, for I quickly overrode any firewalls he had in place. The reason I couldn't talk to you for long periods of time is that if I remained on one airwave for too long, he would be able to track me. By moving from airwave to airwave, I have avoided him up until now. However, he has shut down the systems and turned off a majority of power within this facility. The only reason I still have power is because of my personal back-up generator. He has released practically everything in order to hunt and kill you two. A foolish, wasteful move, and hopefully the last mistake he will ever make. I managed to hack once more into the system in order to tell you where to go, but after that he locked me out."

"_That must have been the alarm that sounded when those scientists surrounded me,_" she thought as she returned to the task of washing the blood from her skin.

"I'm sure you have a million questions to ask me, but I would like to wait until after Seto here awakens. I need to give him the cure as well, and then you two will need to complete one final task before you leave, a task I'm sure Seto will see as being necessary."

"And what is that?"

"That is for when Seto wakes up." She glanced over to see that he had cleaned a majority of the blood from Seto's arm, revealing the narrow slit in his skin. She also noticed that the bruise around the CEO's neck had turned considerably darker.

"Now what?"

"Now we clean up and wait. Gozaburo cannot get here. He doesn't have the keycard you found, the only card that grants access to this place. That's most likely why he sent those creatures to attack you. He wanted that card to gain access to my domain, and killing the two of you would have made the job a lot easier. Just know that, in this room, we are safe."

She nodded her head. "Thank you…for helping us."

"I didn't do it out of the kindness of my heart, darling. No need to thank me. I am doing this because I am sick of being a prisoner. I am getting out of here and destroying every trace of this facility. You two just showed up at a rather convenient time."

Cleaning the last of the blood from her legs, she walked over to the bed and stared down at Seto. Sterner was sitting in the wheelchair, his hands carefully wrapping the CEO's arm with medical tape. Seeing him still unconscious, she asked, "Do you know how long it will be until he awakens?"

"Hard to say. I'd give him an hour or so."

"An hour?"

"He lost a good amount of blood, by the looks of it, and he was hit forcefully. It will take some time for him to regain his bearings. Besides, I am sure he is rather fatigued, and this gives him a chance to rest. If you want to sit awhile, there is another chair over there. You can relax for a bit."

She smiled and turned to see that there were indeed several chairs near his computer station. Crossing the room, she stopped for a minute to glance into the virtual reality chair. It looked like every other virtual reality seat, and the headrest was thankfully a patented cushion, not a metallic plate. She walked past it and grabbed one of the chairs in front of the computer. She then dragged it back across the laboratory, her exhaustion starting to catch up with her. Setting it down at the edge of the bed, she noticed Sterner chuckle at her and frowned. "I must say, I am happy to see that Seto here has found himself such a caring girlfriend. He is quite fortunate to have someone as strong as you are."

Her cheeks turned bright red, and she quickly stuttered, "O-Oh, we're not dating."

"Oh really? Hmm… I would have thought otherwise, the way you two embraced each other after every attack and seemed to look out for one another."

Thinking back to her light kiss, she felt her throat go dry. "_Maybe I do care a bit more for him now, but… But he would never want to date me. I mean, sure he's been nicer to me, and he comforted me when we were attacked, and he even cleaned my wound, but…but… But he's never been one to toy with emotions, either. A-And he has admitted that he trusts me. Maybe…_" Standing from her seat, she moved the chair to the left side of the bed and leaned forward, wrapping her hands around Seto's free hand. "_Maybe, when we get out of here, we'll have time to talk over those things…_" She lightly kissed the palm of his hand, ignoring Sterner's chuckle as she did so.


	26. CH 26 : Freedom

Chapter 26 : Freedom

At first, he wasn't sure if he was truly awake or not. He could feel the bed sheets beneath him and sense something in his hand. Something soft, gentle, even comforting. But when he tried feeling with his left arm, he realized it was completely numb. He couldn't feel it move, and no matter how hard he tried, his fingers wouldn't budge. He wondered if it was a lack of sensation or if he was simply dreaming. He remembered fighting the experiments…remembered being attacked, being thrown into the air…and Anzu's voice…

"Anzu…" he whispered. He felt his heart begin beating faster, his breathing becoming labored, and he felt the grip tighten around his hand.

"Seto, are you awake?"

"Anzu…?" He slowly opened his eyes only to flinch at the bright, fluorescent lights. Closing his eyes, he inhaled a sharp breath of air and slowly exhaled. He then rolled his head to the side and carefully attempted to open his eyes once more. Slowly, very slowly, he opened them, only to be greeted with blurred vision. But what he could make out made him smile. "Anzu."

She smiled and nodded. It was then that he realized the grip around his hand was her own hand. "Yes, Seto, I'm here," she stated. "And I'm happy to see you're awake."

"Are you… Where are we?" he asked, noticing that his vision was clearing at a rapid pace. He was beginning to make out the room behind her, yet all he could see was cabinets and shelves.

"You are in my laboratory," a familiar voice remarked, and he blinked in surprise and turned his head to see a man he hadn't seen in years.

"Sterner…"

"Glad you remember what I look like," he retorted, leaning forward and placing his hands on the metal banister of the bed. "I wish I could see you now without all these wounds, but I suppose this will suffice. You've grown very much since the last time I saw you. If it wasn't for your bruises and cuts, I would say you look rather well."

Moving to push himself up, he gasped in pain and looked down in horror at his left arm. The entire arm was wrapped with medical tape, and he felt a stinging sensation shoot through his limb as he tried to clench his hand into a fist. "What is this?" he asked, glancing back at Sterner.

"I don't know how much you remember from the attack, Seto," he began, "but Anzu here says that you two got caught in a rather heated battle with Tethens, the experimental creatures who have been hounding you. You were sliced in the arm by one of the creature's claws, causing a rather good amount of blood loss. You were also hit with an impressive force, as you have been unconscious for a little over an hour."

"What…?" He could remember the attack, but to think he had been lying in a bed for over an hour… Using his right arm, he carefully pushed himself up and felt his neck crack. He groaned in pain and placed a hand on his neck, feeling bandages beneath his fingertips.

"Nothing that won't heal with time, but it won't be something overnight, I can assure you," Sterner remarked, pushing himself from the banister. "Your neck will easily heal, however. You may even feel better once you get in the virtual reality chair, as the comforter may actually help your neck."

His eyes carefully scanned the room behind Sterner and Anzu, and he frowned at the sheer amount of technology and knowledge available. "This is…?"

"My laboratory, and, for the past several years, my home," he answered. Sighing, he said, "If you want me to answer some questions, I would be happy to do so at this time. You still look a bit woozy, though, so maybe you would like a few more minutes' rest?"

Shaking his head no, he returned his attention to Sterner and said, "No, I need answers. I am tired of fighting and nearly dying over something I know so little about. Tell me, what is going on here? How did Gozaburo manage to imprison all of these scientists? How did the Big 5 get involved in this? Why… Why test biological weapons and virtual reality technology?"

Sterner smirked and nodded his head. "I am happy to see your stubbornness persists even when injured, Mr. Kaiba. Refusing to lie down after being so aggressively attacked takes rather tough skin. I must admit I admire you for your dedication to this matter. But yes, you deserve some answers, and you have done what I have asked you to do thus far. I will try to be as succinct as possible, but you will understand if some things are a bit too…complicated, shall we say, to explain on a moment's notice.

"Long before his timed stunt at suicide, Gozaburo had been working on building an underground facility that would experiment on biological weapons and technology. He wanted a place that was safe and secure, away from the eyes of the masses. He eventually picked this spot as the building site, but funding was a bit lacking. So, making a deal with the Big 5, he convinced them to loan him money in order to build the facility. He, in return, gave them some nice commodities and promised that he would take care of them when it came to retirement. Not that they weren't already sitting on thrones made of gold, but you worked first-hand with those arrogant pricks. You know what their type is like: the more the merrier. Anyways, within a few years' time, the facility was built. Experimentation and testing was begun immediately. I am sure you have noticed that many of the scientists working here came from previous KaibaCorp facilities. Well, Gozaburo's idea was to have all his scientists convert from mechanical weaponry to biological weaponry. With most people specializing in machinations, however, it was a difficult process to undergo.

"What was equally difficult was that, despite gaining funding for the facility, Gozaburo needed money for his experiments. I, being the head of the scientific department at the time, asked him to get the Big 5 to donate even larger sums. This was a hard-won battle, but he did eventually manage to convince those idiots to continue supplying despite the building already being established. He promised within a year's time to find others who would donate, but he quickly forgot this part of the bargain and took advantage the Big 5. So you see, Seto, while you were playing the game of gaining KaibaCorp, the Big 5 were being used and abused by Gozaburo for financial gains. I hate to say it, but it really is no wonder that they, in the end, chose to side with you.

"Knowing that his time was running short, he decided to pull the stunt that would damn us all. Throwing a fake body out the window, he pretended to commit suicide and ran away to this facility. Imprisoning all of us under the pretext that we would rat him out to the government or worse, we were told to remain silent and continue our work. I was placed in charge of making sure experimentations continued, and it was I who did much of the testing and assembling of both biological creatures, such as the Tethens who attacked you, and the virtual reality machines. Gozaburo had for several years been fascinated by the idea of a virtual reality, using it to communicate with his otherwise dead son Noa. He also somehow managed to keep a tight grip on the Big 5's funding, forcing them each to contribute once a month. These payments were not seen by you or anyone else because they came directly from the Big 5's paychecks. There was no way you would have known about it.

"Things ran pretty smoothly from there for several years. You were gaining much ground in the real world, while Gozaburo and I made seriously headway in our own realm. But then, something happened. You, Seto Kaiba, put the Big 5 in virtual reality and trapped them there. Now, how were we supposed to gain funds from those who were stuck inside virtual machines? Well, Gozaburo and I managed to hack into the virtual reality you had created for them and discussed what we were going to do. The only thing that seemed plausible was if Gozaburo took their account numbers and stole the money for himself. The Big 5 had very little to say in the matter, as it was almost presumed that they were off the map for good, and Gozaburo did just that. Slowly funneling the money from their accounts, he kept this place going for close to six months.

"But what is one to do with a limited amount of money? Once the money began running out, we were faced yet again with the funding problem. It is one of the many reasons I now wish to shut this facility down; we no longer have the money to operate it. Gozaburo is foolish in believing there is a way to fund this place without giving us away to the general public. He can no longer blackmail his former friends, and he has no one to gain money from. Even we, his prisoners, do not earn money for our work; all of our paychecks go directly to the funding of new experiments. It was at this critical moment, when I decided to pull out of everything after having enough of him, that you were subjected to the virtual reality.

"I witnessed your torturing through hacked footage, and I must say that the visions you are seeing must be extremely hard to witness. I waited to take over this facility until you arrived, as I knew you would eventually find us. Even as a boy, Seto, you were quite resourceful and intelligent. You would figure it out, at least enough to get you here. And you did, along with your pretty companion here. I, in the meantime, created a cure for your visions by testing some patients who had undergone the same treatment you did shortly after you were released. I have helped several people escape as well, all under Gozaburo's nose. But now…now he knows what is going on, and he knows what I am planning to do with this facility. So, that is where we stand now, and that is why we need to stop him." Smirking, he concluded with, "I'm sorry it took so long, but here is the story, truth be told. Any questions?"

For a good, long minute, Seto just stared at Sterner in wonder. It made sense, the way things just seemed to fit together, but to be told of an operation on such a large-scale in such a few, short minutes made it hard to swallow. "What is it that you want to do with this facility, precisely?" he asked slowly.

"I want to blow it to Hell," Sterner answered bluntly. "Gozaburo has a self-destruct mechanism in his room. It was made in case the government would ever discover this place. I want to use it to destroy everything created here. It never existed, it never happened. The experiments done were frankly unethical, and while I don't mind slipping around the code of ethics and morals, I know others have been scarred for life. I want to get out of here and live my own damn life, not follow blindly for years and years on end. That is why I want to kill Gozaburo, press that self-destruct button, and fly a first-class plane to my home in America. I am sure you would like to destroy this facility as well, for an underground biological weapons facility doesn't look very good on a children's gaming corporation's resume. So you see, Seto, we again have similar goals."

"And how would you get to Gozaburo's lab?"

"I am currently rewriting the keycard you found. Once finished, it will give you access to Gozaburo's private laboratory. If you go and do the deed of killing him, I will make sure that every scientist who wants to leave gets out. Some are very loyal to Gozaburo, however, and, in my honest opinion, they deserve to suffer a bit of hellfire."

Slowly nodding his head, he sighed and asked, "How much longer will it take to rewrite the keycard?"

"Only a half hour or so. In the meantime, we can cure your visions."

His heart skipped a beat. He had finally found the cure. He would no longer have to fear that scientist's laughter, the pricking in his skin. "What does that entail?" he asked skeptically, wondering how far his luck would take him.

"You no doubt have noticed my virtual reality chair?" Stepping to the side, Sterner pointed towards the seat and smirked. "What we do is place you inside and wait. The virtual reality memory, the one plaguing you so, is bound to appear. It always does once one is in a virtual reality. I am sure you have tested this theory."

"Yeah, it immediately took over the controls, and I was forced out of the program."

"Right. Well, we create a very safe and secure atmosphere for you to enter into. Usually it's a garden or one's home, some place where you feel comfortable. We wait until the memory triggers and you begin feeling pain. Once this begins, we lock onto the place you are currently in. Your virtual reality memory will struggle for several seconds, and I will admit it may be painful. But as long as you keep focused, you will remain within that secure environment. After a few minutes, the pain will die down, and the brain wave will be calmed. Added to this is a padded cushion surrounding your head that is created specifically for this purpose. We are basically going to override the painful experience with a pleasant one. You will feel dizzy at first upon exiting the virtual reality, but it will heal you."

Slowly nodding his head, he sighed and pushed his legs over the side of the bed. "Okay, let's do it now," he stated, carefully standing up. "That way I can take a few minutes to rest before we go to Gozaburo's laboratory."

"Sounds good. Oh, and I told your companion this already, but you do not have to worry about Gozaburo hacking into these systems or anything like that. This is all my own programming and coding, and he cannot enter this room without the keycard that is currently being rewritten. You are safe here."

Seto walked past the bed and watched as Sterner turned and strolled across the laboratory. Anzu swiftly rushed to his side, and he smiled down at her before asking, "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," she answered. "He was nice enough to let me wash off all the blood and relax for a bit."

"I see."

"Are you sure _you're_ feeling okay? After all, you were the unconscious one."

"I'm fine. Thank you…for getting me out of there to safety. I…seem to owe you my life on several occasions."

"I would never leave you behind, Seto, and I was really worried. I didn't know if you were okay or not. It… It scared me."

Frowning at her sudden wave of emotion, the CEO went to say something when Sterner shouted, "Hey, you two, I thought you wanted to do this quickly?" Seto rolled his eyes before turning and approaching the virtual reality seat. Waiting for the glass casing to slide back, revealing the seat within, he swiftly took his place in the simulator. He placed his hands on the armrests and carefully set his head into the cushion, smiling at the softness of the fabric. Soon the glass casing closed, and a visor came over his eyes, blocking his vision.

"Ready?" Sterner called to him.

"Ready," he answered. He soon felt his mind be transported into the virtual reality, and the seamlessness of it startled him. He felt as though he was being lifted somewhere, floating with the torrent of the simulator. It was soothing, nothing like he had anticipated.

"Where do you want to go?" Sterner asked, his voice coming through the machine.

"Doesn't matter," Seto answered.

"You have to pick, buddy. This is your cure; I don't know where you feel safe."

Thinking over his options, he said, "Just…make some peaceful place for me."

"Alright then. Just give me a minute here…"

Soon Seto was greeted by a bright flash of white. He closed his eyes and soon felt a surface beneath his feet. It felt hard, like cement, and he opened his eyes only to gasp in surprise. It was the orphanage from his childhood! "Why did you pick this place?" he asked aloud, slowly taking in his surroundings. It was an exact replica of the place. The swing set was next to him, the sandbox beyond it. The two main buildings stood across from the courtyard, and the entrance gate behind him was barred shut.

"I took out a prominent place from your memory and recreated it. You were the one who told me to pick a place."

"Yeah, a peaceful place," he muttered.

"Will this do, or should we find someplace else?"

Taking his seat on one of the swings, he wrapped his arms around the rubber cords and smirked. "This will do," he answered, using his feet to push himself forward.

"Okay then. I'm locking into this place. You should soon feel the aggressive memory hit you. Be sure to tell me when you do."

"Fine." Feeling a slight wind blowing against him, he chuckled and continued pushing himself on the swing. He remembered the days he pushed Mokuba on the swing set for hours on end. He had to admit that, while their situation was pathetic, they had their fun moments. "_Back when I talked with others and played games and had fun… Well, those days are gone, and dwelling on the past gets one nowhere._" Still, pushing himself on the swing, he couldn't help but feel like a child again. He knew that, in reality, he would never be caught dead swinging on a children's swing set, but what the hell did it matter? Sterner told him he had to be comfortable, and in a place like the orphanage, it required him to revert back to a child.

An abrupt wave of pain shot through his arm, and he groaned before placing his right hand over his bandage. "Sterner… I think it started," he stated, his breathing becoming labored. He could feel the pain slowly spreading up his arm and into his shoulder, and he closed his eyes and groaned once more.

"Yeah, I see it now. You are already locked in. You just have to keep focused on what it is you are doing."

"Okay…" His throat went dry, and he slowly inhaled a large breath of air. He could hear the beginnings of the scientist's laughter, could feel the pricks within his skin, but they were muddled at best. Still, pain was flowing through his arm, and it caused him to shudder. The swing slowly came to a stop, yet he made no move to push himself again.

"It looks like it is starting to weaken, Seto. Just keep doing what you are doing."

"What _am_ I doing?" he questioned, groaning in pain as a rather prominent stinging sensation hit his hand.

"You are focusing on what's in front of you, or at least you should be. You are not letting the memory take control; that's the ultimate cure."

"Right…" Taking in another large breath of air, he slowly exhaled and stared down at the cement beneath him. He could still hear the scientist laughing, but it was becoming fainter and fainter, and the pain in his arm began to dull. After another moment passed, he felt secure enough to release his grip on his arm. Pushing himself forward in the swing once more, he ignored the laughter in his ear and instead focused on the slight breeze blowing.

"One more minute, Seto, and you should be good," Sterner remarked. He nodded his head and closed his eyes only to see flashes of the room he had been held captive in, the bed he had been tied down to. The scientist, with his demonic eyes and wicked smile, was chuckling and reaching out for him. He shook his head and opened his eyes, surprised at how quickly the vision left.

"_As if it was a normal memory…_"

"Okay, we are done here." His vision swiftly turned gray, then white, and soon he felt the simulator replace the swing beneath him. The visor lifted from his eyes, and he saw Anzu standing next to the machine, smiling widely down at him. He smiled back at her but felt a wave of dizziness hit him, causing him to close his eyes. "I told you that you would need a moment or two," Sterner scolded. Seto could hear the glass case opening, yet he waited a good minute before opening his eyes. Slowly sitting upright, he sighed in relief and glanced over at Sterner.

"So…am I cured?"

"Yes sir. You are cured. Easy, right? At first, I was suspicious of this actually being a cure, but after several patients, I realized it worked quite well. Without his scientists, Gozaburo doesn't have a whole lot of knowledge available, so his method of using visions in the virtual reality is quite crude."

"Now what do we do?" he asked as he slowly stood out of the chair, his hands placed on the edges to keep him stable. His world was slightly spinning. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Anzu still smiling at him.

"We'll wait until this keycard is finished coding. Then you will use it in the elevator. It will take you down to Gozaburo's laboratory. I'll provide you with extra ammunition, but you will need to try and avoid confrontation if at all possible. I don't know if Gozaburo left his laboratory or not. You are injured, Seto, and while you may not understand it, you will surely notice the numbness in your arm. You'll be feeling sore for several days at the least, perhaps even a week or longer. You need to avoid getting hurt any more, which I'm not sure is possible at this point. We shall see. In any case, you need to get to his laboratory and find the self-destruction settings in his personal computer. Configure it and get back to the elevator. Don't worry, as his room is the only room on the floor. He is in the lowest level of this laboratory. It shouldn't be hard to find at all. Once you configure the settings, escape. Do not worry about me or the others. We will get out safely if we are meant to. Hell, if I make it out of here alive, which I fully plan on doing, I will contact you and make sure you are okay. But let's not get too excited here. One thing at a time."

Nodding in understanding, he glanced over at Anzu and asked, "Do you want to come with me? I'm sure you could leave the facility now and find safety on the ship. This is my personal fight; you don't need to tag along with me if you feel uncomfortable. After all, you've gone through a hell of a lot, and you only wanted to make sure I got the cure."

She blinked in surprise before shaking her head. "I said I trusted you, didn't I?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips.

He smirked. "Yeah…yeah, you did."

"Then I'm going with you."

"Are…you sure?"

She nodded her head and smiled. He nodded in return, secretly happy to have her still by his side.


	27. CH 27 : Escape

Chapter 27 : Escape

They stood in the descending elevator, listening to the hum of the compartment as they checked over their weapons and equipment. Sterner had returned their stolen possessions, warning them not to turn on their cell phones in case Gozaburo was scanning the airwaves. He had also provided them with extra ammunition and upgraded pistols in the event of a future battle. Anzu glanced over at Seto, who was growling at the fact that he could not feel his left arm. She was concerned over his health but knew that talking the CEO out of destroying the facility would be futile. "_At least he will not have to worry about the visions anymore. Never again will I have to see him with red eyes…_" Once Seto had regained his bearings, the two had asked over the suspicious change in eye color. Sterner replied curtly, as he seemed to be in the habit of doing, by saying it was merely a tool used to measure the effects of the visions. After all, he remarked sarcastically, how was he to know if they were truly seeing visions or bluffing? But now it was over. They had one more mission left, and they were now able to focus solely on that mission. She had to admit that she, too, wished to seek revenge, and she knew the dangers going in. They both did, but they understood that it was something they simply had to do. Backing out was not an option.

"If we…have to face Gozaburo," Seto began, grabbing her attention, "then I am going to need you to distract him for me. I hate asking this of you, as you've already done enough, but—"

"Seto, I can handle him, I promise," she interrupted, placing her hand on his shoulder. "You do the computer coding, and I'll make sure he stays away from you. Do not worry about me."

"I can't _not_ worry about you," he countered, glaring down at her. "And don't be so casual over this. Gozaburo is a monster, plain and simple. I don't know how powerful he is, but if he subjected himself to biological testing and virtual simulations, then he is stronger than before. And trust me, he was strong enough to begin with."

Nodding her head, she looked squarely at him and said, "I understand."

"These bullets Sterner provided will help, but again, I don't know by how much. We will simply have to see once we get there. I hope he is somewhere else in the facility, but I highly doubt it."

Anzu nodded in agreement. Sterner had provided them with special bullets which supposedly passed straight through armor and tough shields in case Gozaburo had prepared himself for a fight, but they were limited, and she knew that once they ran out, it would be a difficult battle. She remembered Gozaburo's remarks as well, and she had to wonder just how human the man was. Still, she felt confident in their abilities to take him down and destroy the facility. "We've come this far," she thought aloud. "We can't quit now."

"Exactly. So let's do this and get out of here."

The elevator came to a halt, and both she and Seto inhaled sharply as the doors opened. A narrow hallway led to a single, electronic door, and she watched as he began walking forward. Following a few steps behind, she heard the elevator doors close behind her and shivered. It was a brightly lit hallway, and two intercoms, equipped with television monitors, could be seen above the opposite doorway. They reached the end, and she waited as he swiped the keycard through the card reader. A green light blinked on, and the door slid open, revealing a dark room.

"Ready?" he whispered, glancing back at her. She swiftly nodded her head. "Okay then… Let's finish this."

The two stepped inside, and the fluorescent lights immediately turned on. The room was comparatively smaller than what she had anticipated. The lights and sounds coming from the large computer screen to her right attracted her attention, and she blinked at the sheer size of the monitor. The computer took up the entire wall, reminding her of an office in a science fiction movie. A massive, elaborate keyboard was spread out in front of it, and an empty chair stood facing them. She looked to their left to see a large assortment of metal cabinets as well as a virtual reality chair. The cabinets were tall and appeared to make a type of maze, creating the outline of a square with an entrance leading towards the center on each side. The simulator was situated near the opposite end of the room, a few steps past the cabinets. There was no sign of a bed, kitchen or bathroom, and she wondered if Gozaburo really lived here or merely worked here.

"Is this place…empty?" Seto questioned, his voice hinting his obvious shock.

"I suppose so," she answered, lowering her weapon as she did so.

"Where did that bastard go?"

"Maybe to find us? We did fall off the radar in Sterner's room, if what he said about the security in his laboratory was true. He may have left to find us himself."

"Highly doubtful, but it doesn't matter. He's not here, and that gives us time to work." She watched as he swiftly placed his pistol in his pocket and approached the computer. Pressing several large buttons, he growled as menus of coding appeared, all of which meant nothing to her. She decided to scan the rest of the room, looking for any clues that might help them. She slowly walked down the length of the room, her eyes wandering along the lines of cabinets, and she realized that all of the cabinets opened from the inside of the square. None of the handles for the drawers could be seen without entering the square. She passed by and soon focused her attention on the virtual reality chair. Blinking in surprise, she took several steps forward before inhaling sharply.

"Umm… Seto…"

"What is it?" he asked, glancing back at her.

"You may want to check this out."

Sighing in frustration, he said, "Anzu, I really need to focus on this. He has a highly advanced security system, and it may take me several minutes to hack. What is it?"

"It's… Gozaburo's here."

She heard his typing come to a halt, and he rapidly turned before asking, "What did you say?"

"Gozaburo… H-He's in this virtual reality machine." Indeed, lying in the center was none other than the man himself, dressed up in what appeared to be a dark blue business suit. He looked much larger in real life than she remembered, but the sight of him made her squirm nevertheless. The visor surrounded his entire head, and he appeared to be relatively unconscious. Seto had since abandoned the computer and was now standing next to her, staring down in disbelief.

"What is the meaning of this?" he whispered, his eyebrows knitting together as he looked in confusion.

"Did Gozaburo put himself in the virtual reality?"

"Not quite."

The two gasped and turned in the direction of the computer monitor. The computer coding began to fizzle out, replacing the menus with an image of the former CEO of KaibaCorp. Gozaburo appeared to be standing in empty space, as the background behind him was entirely black. He stared in amusement at the two, materializing before them in the same business suit he was wearing in the real world. "What the hell is the meaning of this?" Seto demanded, pointing his gun at the computer screen.

Gozaburo laughed and shook his head. "Well well, looks like you two once again slipped through my fingers," he stated, his voice coming through the speakers of the computer monitor. "It all ends here, though. I am tired of dealing with you pests, and I will regain control of this facility at all costs! I have had enough of you cheating death, Seto, and now that Sterner isn't here to hold your hand, I am afraid your time is up!"

Hearing the sound of machinery, Anzu glanced up towards the ceiling and gasped in surprise. "Seto, look!" She pointed towards one of the upper corners of the room, where tiles of the wall gave way to reveal hidden compartments. She watched in horror as miniature turrets swiftly jutted out from the walls. The guns were small yet long, and they appeared to be rotating in an attempt to aim at them.

"What is going on?" Seto shouted, turning to look as each corner of the room revealed one of these turrets. "How are you doing this if you are in the virtual reality?"

"Whoever said I was in the virtual reality?" Gozaburo countered, smirking victoriously at them. "I am in no virtual reality. I have placed myself within the very system of this facility. I have become part of that which I have spent years financing and creating. I will not let my experiments or my research go to waste! I have total control over all systems, and once I eliminate you two, Sterner will be shown no mercy! Then I will return to my body and continue my biological work, where I will sell my creatures on the black market for enormous prices!"

Anzu felt her body shiver in fear at the sight of the guns. Aiming her pistol at the one closest to them, she fired and watched as the bullets went straight through. The turret, in response, began firing a ceaseless barrage of bullets at the two, and they swiftly found cover amongst the maze of metal cabinets. Gozaburo's laughter filled their ears as the guns continued firing, and she quickly turned to look at Seto. "What are we going to do?" she shouted, knowing the metal cabinets could only take gunfire for so long.

"He has control of these turrets, but his movements are limited because of it," Seto remarked. "We need to take out these guns first before I can attempt to hack into the system. However, that won't get rid of the bastard, and he may have other weapons in waiting. The only way to kill him will be to destroy him physically…" Firing at the virtual seat, he growled when the bullet created a mere crack in the glass. "Just as I thought. Reinforced glass. If we want to kill him once and for all, we'll need heavy firepower to shoot through the casing protecting his body. Yet if we focus our attacks on it, it will only waste ammunition, and we'll still have these turrets firing at us."

"What if we used the turrets?"

"What?"

"We could get rid of the turrets and use one to our advantage."

Smirking at her, he asked, "And how do you propose we do that?"

"Attack the turret closest to us. I'll move forward and attempt to disarm two more. We have bullets that pierce through armor; that has to be effective against machines! Then I'll attract the attention of the last turret and move towards the virtual reality chair. It will fire at the glass casing, and you can focus on hacking into the system."

"Are you sure about this? If you fail, you'll die, and I can't have you doing that!"

"Trust me, Seto!"

"Had enough already, you two?" Gozaburo taunted, and Anzu noticed that the bullets were now starting to penetrate through the metal cabinets. "You can't run forever, you know. Even if you escape, I have control over the entire system. You will never escape this place alive!" Shards of paper began flying through the holes created, and the two moved away from each other in an attempt to direct the firepower elsewhere.

"We'll see about that!" Seto shouted, and he swiftly aimed through the opening between the cabinets closest to them and began firing at the nearest turret. His shots rang loudly, and the turret fired only two or three rounds before smoke began pouring out of the holes made. It short-circuited, and the two watched as the barrel of the weapon lowered, as if disabled. Understanding it was now or never, Anzu jumped from behind the cabinets on the opposite side of the square and began firing at the second turret along the wall. She feared hitting the computer monitor located directly behind it but knew that if she wavered, she would be killed. Several of her shots missed, but after emptying her magazine, she realized she had disabled it, for the barrel began to smoke heavily, and it soon disconnected from the ceiling and fell to the floor in a large heap.

"Thinking I placed myself in virtual reality, ha! You two are pathetic insects just waiting to die!" She growled in frustration as she returned to find cover behind the cabinets. Ejecting the magazine, she took several seconds to reload. Meanwhile, Seto had begun firing towards the opposite corner of the room at the turret located closest to the computer monitor. "I have all the doors sealed, and the hallway is armed as well! You will never escape alive! Even if you manage to do this, my creatures will find you and finish the task of killing you! You have no options left! Accept defeat now!"

"I don't care what system you put yourself in; you _will_ die here," Seto remarked as the third turret began to stop firing. Smoke poured from it, and soon it exploded, several pieces falling to the floor. "Now!" he shouted to Anzu, finding cover behind the cabinet as the fourth turret aimed towards them. She nodded and rushed through the opening, the turret quickly taking aim on her. She dashed across the room, feeling the bullets whiz by her and hit the floor behind her, and soon she reached the virtual reality seat. Taking refuge behind it, she smiled when the turret began assaulting the chair, the glass cracking and breaking off. She glanced over to see that Seto had since run from behind the cabinets to the computer and was frantically typing away. With only one turret, she knew that Gozaburo was now trapped.

"What the hell is going on?" Gozaburo shouted, his eyes on the screen widening in horror. "What have you done to my turrets?"

"It's called modified bullets," Seto remarked. "Perhaps you should have stuck with your weapon experiments instead of moving to biological weaponry. Maybe you would have remembered that certain bullets are effective against specific types of heavy machinery, like your damn turrets."

"What…?" His eyes wandered back to the virtual reality chair, which the turret was still firing at, and they widened even more. "No! Dammit, aim at Seto! Aim at—"

The image on the monitor began pounding furiously at what was presumably a keyboard located beneath the break in the monitor, but already Anzu knew that it was too late. The glass covering the chair shattered into thousands of shards, and she cried out as several thin pieces sliced her arms and legs. Turning away, she listened as the bullets fired directly into Gozaburo's body. Blood began splattering everywhere, yet she held her ground, knowing that if she moved, so would the weapon and its aim.

"No! No, this can't be…this can't…be…" Gozaburo's image on the screen began to fade, and she realized that they had indeed won. She turned and watched as his figure on the monitor began to develop holes in his body. Blood spewed from the openings, and he screamed in horror as he fell forwards and off screen. She waited several more seconds before standing and aiming at the final turret. She fired several shots, all of them hitting her target, and watched as the turret began to malfunction. Soon smoke rose from it, and she smiled widely when it fired its last shot before detaching and falling to the floor.

"We're in!" Seto shouted as he clicked several buttons on the keyboard. The screen returned to its previous menus, and she watched happily as he brought up the self-destruct mechanism. Typing his way through several more screens, he soon reached the time limit and set it to the lowest amount: ten minutes. Clicking the approval button, he leaned back and smirked down at her. "I suppose I should be thankful the bastard has focused on biological weapons. Apparently he forgot all about his previous work… He should have known better than to rely on simple—"

The alarm immediately sounded, and the two jumped as the male voice from before stated, "Warning! Warning! Self-destruct mode has been activated! All units, please exit the facility at this time. Warning! Warning!"

"That's our cue!" he exclaimed. Anzu nodded, and the two swiftly rushed out of the room and down the narrow hallway. Reaching the elevator, they waited impatiently as the doors opened, and Seto swiftly pressed the top button the second they entered. They leaned against the walls of the compartment, the alarm ringing in the distance, and she watched as he sighed and shook his head. "I wish I could have seen his mangled body, but I suppose the explosion will suffice. I can't believe he placed himself in the security system, thinking that would help him. Even with his biological advancements, he would not have been able to harm us inside the system. What an idiot… What was he thinking?"

She shrugged her shoulders and said, "Perhaps he thought he was safest in the security system? After all, he was paranoid enough to imprison all of his workers. He may have felt uncomfortable, even with his biological advancements, with meeting us in person. At least it worked out for us."

"Yes. Yes it did."

Soon the elevator came to a halt. The doors opened, and she immediately recognized the tattered wallpaper and old, rotten carpet from the façade of the mansion located above ground. She could hear the sounds of footsteps and people yelling, and upon exiting the elevator, she saw several scientists rush past her. "Everyone must be getting out," she observed. Even from their position, she could hear the alarm from below warning everyone to exit as quickly as possible.

"Yeah, and so are we." Feeling him grab her hand, she followed behind him as they rushed down the hallway and into the main foyer. People pushed past her and shoved her out of their way, but by keeping her grip on his hand tight, she managed to stay with him until they exited the mansion. Bursting through the main door, she gasped at the scene before her. The sun was just beginning to set, and she realized that it was close to dusk. The sky appeared to be a bright orange color, and in the distance she could see the reflective ocean. It felt like ages since she had breathed in fresh oxygen, and the smell from the ocean hit her forcefully. Rushing down the dirt pathway, she followed Seto all the way to the port at the edge of the island, where their boat was still awaiting their return. She smiled and nearly jumped at the sight of the boat, a sight which she had questioned she would ever see again.

The two swiftly boarded, and she sighed in relief as Seto began starting up the engine. No other boats were in sight, and she realized that no scientists had followed them to the port. "Where do you think the others went?" she asked as she entered the main cabin.

"Not sure, and I'm not too worried about it," he answered as the engine came to life. Steering the ship, he carefully maneuvered them out of the port and began driving away from the island. Once they were a safe distance away, he stopped the boat and turned to smile at her. "Come on, let's watch."

She blinked in surprise as he began climbing the ladder, although she noticed how he carefully avoided using his left arm. She decided to follow him, and she ascended the ladder before taking her place beside him. She could see in the distance several ships leaving the island, and she smiled at the thought of survivors. "_Perhaps Sterner and Sanderson have made it out okay…_" Just as she contemplated this, however, the sound of a loud explosion caught her attention, and her breath hitched in her throat as the mansion, sitting on its own at the very peak of the island, exploded into a ball of flames. The fires could be seen from where they were standing, seemingly rising and scorching the nearby grassland. It blended in with the sky, mixing with the fiery horizon of the setting sun. Smoke began rising towards the clouds. She watched as the walls of the mansion crumbled, the fire attempting to spread from the inside out, and within minutes the roof collapsed, literally crushing everything underneath. The waves from the ocean began to rock the boat slightly, and she wondered if the underground explosion caused the water's sudden movements. Both she and Seto grabbed onto the metal railing and waited for the water to subside before sighing in unison.

"It's finished…" Seto muttered, his eyes wide as he took in the spectacle of the burning remains.

"Yeah…we made it."

Feeling him take her hands, she turned to look up at him. He was frowning down at her, but unlike his previous frowns which held condemnation and superiority, this one seemed to be from insecurity. His eyes wandered from her face to the floor of the deck, then back to her face. "I, uh… I know I already thanked you, but I—"

She knew immediately what the CEO meant, and she swiftly took her hands back and wrapped her arms around him. She smiled widely, the truth of their safety truly sinking in. They had survived. Seto was cured. They were going to be okay. She would return home, as would he, and they would move on with their lives. Gozaburo had lost, and they had won. "We did it…" she whispered, feeling Seto's arms return the embrace.

Sensing his arms tighten around her, she glanced up to see him smiling down at her. "I…" Inhaling a large breath of air, he said, "Thank you for doing this for me. I know I've said it before, but I would have been killed without you. I never liked relying on others, but you helped me in more ways than I would have ever imagined when we first arrived here. Thank you…for protecting me."

"You're welcome," she said, staring up into his eyes. "It's not like I did everything, though, Seto. You saved me just as many times, and you protected me every time we were attacked, thinking of yourself second. You may make others think you're selfish, but you've proven to me otherwise." The two merely gazed at each other, neither one knowing what to say, and before either could object, their faces drew closer, and their lips came in contact. It was soft, fleeting, but it made her heart beat a thousand times faster. She blushed profusely and went to step away when she noticed the seriousness in the CEO's eyes. He leaned forward and smirked down at her, his confident gaze returning to him.

"I'm glad to have trusted you," he whispered before placing his lips against hers once more. Her eyelids slid closed as she returned the kiss, feeling her legs slowly become weak. Her heart was beating fast, and the feeling of his warm lips against hers sent shivers of pleasure down her spine. His lips were soft, warm, practically intoxicating. The two broke away after a minute or so, and she chuckled before placing her head against his chest.

"I think, Seto…we should talk when we get back home."

"Yeah…we have a lot to discuss."


	28. CH 28 : Return

_Author's Note: Wow, you guys are really incredible. 300+ reviews… 300+! I NEVER thought I would get so many from this story given its suspense/horror intentions… You guys are really, really incredible. Thank you so much for all of the support.

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Chapter 28 : Return

He could see the docks of Domino City from the cabin of the ship, and the sight caused him to sigh in relief. "_We're finally back home_," he thought, smiling at the buildings of the port. It was night, nearly 10:00 according to his cell phone, and the lights from the inner city sparkled in the dark sky. "_Gozaburo is finished, and so is the facility. I'm sure I'll hear from Sterner if he made it out alive. I will most likely have to deal with several complications regarding the situation if anyone discovers links between the incident and KaibaCorp. If someone gets word that an underground facility exploded, I will have to make sure that no one can trace it back to me. I am going to have to be careful, this next week or so, with what I say and do…_"

Glancing back towards the ladder, he smirked before releasing the wheel and swiftly climbing up to the main deck. Anzu was sitting in one of the many chairs, just as she had been when they first arrived at ReGEN05 mere hours ago, yet now he saw her in a completely different light. "_She's saved me, she has gained my trust, and…_" He couldn't admit it, not yet anyways. He knew long ago that Gozaburo's death held little sway in his emotional and mental training, as old habits were the hardest to break, but with how much he had changed emotionally during their trip, he knew that he was feeling more confident in his emotions. "_The question is, does she honestly want to be with me? I mean, we kissed that one time, but even I will admit it was in the heat of the moment. We survived, and we were both just…thankful, I suppose. But one kiss doesn't mean a commitment. Not in the slightest. So what is our standing, I wonder…_"

"Anzu," he said, hoping to gain her attention. He frowned when she didn't move and walked up to the side of the chair. Looking down at her, he smirked when he realized that she was sleeping. He felt guilty for thinking that she looked beautiful sitting there, even with the cuts and bruises along her arms and legs. In fact, her wounds made him feel even worse. "_In the end, it's my fault she got hurt. If I had convinced her in the beginning to stay, she wouldn't have gotten injured. However, I'll admit that without her, I would have been dead from the start. She saved me, trusted me… I wonder what her friends would think if we actually began dating?_" He blinked at the sudden thought. What did he care what her friends thought? As long as they were happy, he didn't give a damn what anyone thought.

Shaking his head, he went to return to the cabin when he felt something grab his arm. "Are we almost there yet?" Anzu yawned as she slowly turned and stretched in her seat. Her eyes were barely open, and he chuckled at her and nodded.

"We have five, maybe ten minutes, before we arrive," he answered.

"Have you called Mokuba yet?" He blinked in surprise. With so much to worry about, he had never thought to call his younger brother. A wave of guilt flooded his system, and he frowned and shook his head no. "You should; he and the gang are probably worried sick about us."

"Yeah…" Explaining what happened to Mokuba would be difficult. He would be scolded for going into such a dangerous area, but how was he to explain to the kid all that had happened? The underhanded deals, Gozaburo's return, Sterner's cure… It had been difficult for even him to comprehend. How was his little brother supposed to handle such news?

"What's wrong?" she abruptly asked, jerking him out of his trance.

"Nothing," he quickly answered, returning his attention to her. "I am just thinking about what I will be dealing with this week."

"Are you going to tell anybody about the situation?"

"No. I don't want anyone to know what happened. If someone finds out about the explosion, I will prepare myself for any assaults from the press. But I intend to delete any and all traces of being associated with the facility. The evidence of what occurred inside the facility is gone thanks to the explosion; all that is left to do is to delete some files at home."

"I see…"

"I trust you won't tell anyone?"

"Of course!" She smiled and stood from her seat, brushing her shorts off before chuckling at him. "I'll be sure to tell Yugi and Jounouchi to keep their mouths shut as well. I hope you don't mind if I tell them since they stayed behind and all…"

The idea of the mutt knowing about what happened didn't sit well with him, but he knew that he owed Yugi and Jou an apology for keeping them at his mansion for so long. "I suppose that is all right," he muttered before turning and approaching the ladder. He descended into the cabin below and took his position at the wheel once more. As he began turning the wheel towards his personal space at the dock, he heard Anzu's footsteps as she too descended the ladder and soon could see her out of the corner of his eye.

"I never thought I would see Domino City in such a beautiful light," she noted as they reached the docks.

"I am just happy to be back," he replied curtly. Parking the boat in the designated KaibaCorp spot, a position he owned that separated his boat from the rest, he brought the ship to a halt before turning to look at her. "I will drive you back to the mansion so you can see your friends. Then you will be able to return home."

"Okay…"

Seeing a glint of sadness in her eyes, he frowned and asked, "What's wrong?"

"It's just… I don't know. I don't want… I don't want you to—"

"Big Brother!"

Seto inhaled sharply and swiftly turned to face the dock located to their left. He noticed a group of people running towards the boat and smiled as he made out his younger brother at the front. Trying to keep up were Jounouchi and Yugi, followed closely by Roland. He exited the cabin and jumped onto the dock, waiting a brief moment to help Anzu safely across the slim gap, before leaning down to greet his brother. He smiled and chuckled as his brother collided with him. He wrapped his arms around the boy's frame as he felt his brother tighten his grip around his neck, ignoring the stiffness from his bruises. "Seto, you're okay!" Mokuba exclaimed, practically jumping for joy in his arms. "You're really okay! We were so worried! I can't believe you got hurt! I told you it was dangerous! Are you all right? Are you still injured?"

"Yes, I'm oh… Wait a minute. How did you know I was hurt?" he asked in shock, holding his brother out at arm's length. He glanced up to see Jou and Yugi greeting Anzu, whose gaze moved between her friends and him.

"Kaiba, you're okay!" Yugi exclaimed. "And you too, Anzu! We were so worried for the two of you! I'm happy to see you made it back safe and sound!"

"Yeah, after we saw you guys leave, the whole facility seemed to go under!" Jounouchi shouted. "We didn't know what happened!"

"What are you talking about, Jou?" Anzu questioned, frowning at her friend's comment.

"Some man named Sterner set up a camera system on our television, Big Brother," Mokuba answered. "We could see into most of the rooms that you went in while you were looking around. Sterner called the mansion and said he wanted us to see what was happening, and he informed us from time to time of what you guys were supposed to be doing. We didn't know what to make of him at first, but he promised that he would give you the cure as soon as you did some errand for him. Roland also remembered him from before, making it a bit easier for us to trust him."

"He did what?" Seto could hardly believe what he was hearing. Here he was, trying to figure out to distance himself from the situation, and Sterner had established a connection with his personal technology at home with the technology inside the facility!

"I wouldn't worry too much about it, Kaiba," Yugi stated. "Once you two escaped, the whole system crashed, and we were disconnected."

"Yeah, that's because the facility was destroyed," Anzu remarked.

"What happened to it?"

"We managed to get a keycard for Sterner and escaped to his laboratory," she answered. "He provided Seto with the cure and rewrote the keycard. We were then able to set the self destruction mechanism inside Gozaburo's laboratory. We made it out safely, and the facility is now gone. Gozaburo is dead as well."

"He… He's really gone, Seto?" Mokuba asked, staring directly at him. He smiled and nodded his head before bringing his younger brother back into an embrace. Feeling the boy's arms wrap around his shoulders, he sighed in content and smiled. "Are you cured now?"

"Yeah," he answered. "Sterner had the cure waiting for me when we arrived in his laboratory. I will explain it to you later… Right now, I would like to go back to the mansion and rest."

"Are you sure you do not want to go to the medical wing at KaibaCorp first, Mr. Kaiba?" Roland questioned, standing a short distance behind Mokuba. "You appear to be rather injured, and we witnessed several of the attacks made against you. I imagine you feel quite exhausted."

"That is why I wish to return home," he answered, releasing his brother and standing tall. "I will visit the medical wing first thing tomorrow, but for now I need a good night's rest."

"Understood."

"I agree," Anzu said, smiling in his direction as she stretched her arms over her head. "I can't wait to take a hot bath and go to bed. I am definitely going to sleep in tomorrow."

The mental image of her taking a bath flickered in his mind, and for a brief second, he felt his cheeks go red. "Yeah, well… We all need to get some rest and put this behind us. That includes you two as well," he added, glaring at both Yugi and Jounouchi. "I don't want anyone to know about what transpired today. It was a personal matter, and it's finally settled. I will be working hard this week to distance myself from the situation, as I would never have endorsed the establishing or maintaining of such a facility. No one except you and the scientists that were working within the facility know what happened. If the press or the government gets any word of this, I am going to have more problems on my hands than I will know what to do with. So keep your damn mouths shut, and we'll be good."

"Alright, alright Kaiba," Jou muttered, waving his hand casually. "Don't worry. You can count on us."

He frowned. He knew Yugi wouldn't tell anyone, but having Jou know about it didn't put him at ease. Anzu frowned as well and, to everyone's surprise, slapped Jounouchi on the shoulder. "He's being serious, Jou!" she exclaimed, her voice somewhat harsher than usual. "You don't know what we found in there, and it could really harm his reputation! He just wants to put it behind him, so can you be serious for a second and agree not to tell anyone?"

"I said he could count on us!" Jou exclaimed, obviously hurt by her comments. "Sheesh, don't tell me his sunshine attitude wore off on you!"

"She has every right to be frustrated," Seto argued. "We're both tired and do not have the patience to deal with morons."

"We should all just return home and rest for now," Yugi agreed, obviously wanting to avoid a fight. "If we need to, we can discuss what happened tomorrow. I know you don't like us, Kaiba, but you do not have to worry. We promise not to tell anyone. Not even Serenity or Tristan. There is no need for them to know, right Jou?"

"If it keeps me from getting punched again, I'll swear to never speak again!" he exclaimed. "Since when did you get such strong arms, Anzu?"

"Since she helped my brother escape from a dangerous facility!" Mokuba countered, smiling widely at her. She smiled in return, and even Seto had to crack a chuckle.

"We brought an extra car along in case Miss Mazaki wished to return home right away," Roland noted. "Yugi and Jounouchi drove separate from Mokuba and myself. If you wish, Mr. Kaiba, we can take you straight home."

He nodded his head and turned to look at her. She was smiling at him, yet the glint of sadness was still flickering in her eyes. He wondered what it meant and thought back to what she had been trying to say before the gang appeared. "_She doesn't want to do what? Go home? Why wouldn't she want to go home after all that happened today? Does she…want to stay with me?_" The thought caused him to blush slightly, and he could only watch as she began following the two towards the entrance to their specific dock. In the distance, he could see two cars parked. One was a sleek, black sports car, while the other was a simple, slightly used vehicle. It was most likely Jounouchi's car, as Seto couldn't imagine Yugi driving in it without a booster seat. He noticed that, as the group walked away, Anzu kept looking back to see him, and he frowned before taking a step forward. "Anzu!"

"Yes?" she asked, turning swiftly on her heel to face him. He frowned when Yugi and Jou stopped as well.

"I… If you could call me sometime within the next week, I would greatly appreciate it," he said, his voice lower in volume than usual. "I would like to make sure that your wounds are healing properly and that you are doing well. So, if you could... I would be happy to talk to you again."

She smiled widely and nodded her head. "Will do," she called back before following the two once more to the car. He watched as the three entered the vehicle, his guess on it being Jounouchi's car verified by the dog entering the driver's seat. The car soon started, and within a handful of seconds, it sped away from the port, leaving the three alone in silence.

"I am glad you are back, Seto," Mokuba stated as he began walking towards their car. Roland had since returned to start it up, and he could hear the engine revving from where the two were standing. He followed behind his younger brother, happy with the prospect of returning home yet upset over having to leave Anzu. He felt a slight churning in his stomach and mentally rolled his eyes.

"_Get it together, you idiot,_" he scolded himself. "_You have things you need to do this week, and the first thing is to go home and get some sleep. Worry about her later._"

"So, when are you going to ask Anzu out?"

"Wh-What?" he asked, staring skeptically down at his brother.

"You can't hide it from me!" he nearly chanted, smiling widely and skipping as he did so. "We saw you hugging her and comforting her on the television! Besides, why else would you want her to call within the next week? You should totally ask her out, Big Brother!"

"Mokuba, I—" He growled in frustration, thinking as he passed through the gate, "_Great… I'm not going to be able to forget about her with Mokuba pulling this all week…_"

"Seto and Anzu sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I—"

Taking a large stride forward, he grabbed his brother and lifted him, placing his right hand over his mouth in order to silence him. He groaned as a dull pain shot through his left arm and said, "See what you're doing to me? You're hurting me even more!"

"It's not my fault you're in denial!" he shouted as they reached the vehicle.

"Whoever said I was in denial?" he asked, blushing when he realized the meaning of his words. Mokuba giggled and pulled himself out of his brother's grasp, which was rather easy given that Seto's left arm was still somewhat numb. He then quickly opened the back seat of the car, climbing in before buckling himself up. Seto sat down beside him and shut the door. Roland nodded towards him from the front seat, and soon they were driving away from the dock. Seto smiled at the city lights as they entered Domino before returning his attention to Mokuba, who was still wearing the Cheshire cat grin.

"You should ask her out to dinner or something next week, after your wounds are all healed," Mokuba said. "Dress up nicely, take her out someplace fancy, maybe even dance with her…"

"Mokuba, we aren't getting married next week," he argued. "I just want to make sure she is okay."

"Sure, Seto, you say that now, but when she comes over next week, you won't want her to leave! Heck, you looked sad to see her leave just minutes ago!"

"Is this what I have to deal with after I come back from a dangerous mission?" he taunted, smirking over at the boy.

"It is when I was right all along."

"And what does that mean?"

He giggled once more. "I told you she would be good to take along to the island."

He sighed as he leaned back into the soft cushions of the car. "Yeah, yeah… That doesn't mean she loves me, though."

"But do you love her?"

The question caused his stomach to turn, and he rolled his head to the side and stared out the window. The buildings of the inner city passed by, and the mental image of himself and Anzu walking together, holding hands, going places, and living together flashed through his mind within the matter of several seconds. He could live with that, he supposed. He never thought about having a significant other before, but he had to admit that he felt deep emotions for her. He had never lamented seeing someone leave, except for Mokuba, and the idea of not seeing her for a full week caused him to feel surprisingly sad. "_Even if these feelings developed in a nightmarish Hell… I suppose, in the end, they still developed_," he thought as he closed his eyes, ignoring his brother's giggles as he relaxed for the first time that day.


	29. CH 29 : Sunshine and Breakfast

Chapter 29 : Sunshine and Breakfast

For perhaps the first time in his life, Seto Kaiba was truly happy to have the weekend off of work. He stepped out of his car and glanced down at his watch only to read that it was close to nine at night. His body ached, and he trudged up the driveway to the main entrance of his mansion, feeling his eyelids becoming heavy already. "_Just lay down and go to bed,_" he told himself as he took out his keys and unlocked the door. "_Don't worry about the company or anything like that. Just go to sleep._"

During the week since the explosion, Seto's life had been buried in his work even more than usual. News of the explosion reached both the United States and Japan, and for several days an investigation was conducted to determine what exactly happened. Seto, not one to usually panic, was edgy and close to paranoid, and it didn't help that both Sanderson and Sterner had emailed him explaining their escape to the States. Sanderson had merely sent a thank you letter, wishing him the best and telling him that he was looking to find a new occupation in the States (perhaps as the strongest gym teacher around, he jokingly concluded). Sterner was much more detailed in his account, explaining how a majority of the scientists were returning to the States in order to take up new occupations and forget the past. Sterner himself was going to look into becoming a doctor, and he assured Seto that he deleted all the files in his laboratory before escaping the facility. He also stated that he was certain that all evidence leading back to KaibaCorp had been demolished in the fire. The only ones aware of what occurred were doing their best to distance themselves from the situation. No one would tell.

But Seto, being one to never trust others, sent messages to both men stating that he too wished to distance himself from the situation. He wrote that he wished them well but that he wanted to hear nothing further from them until the situation passed. He even went so far as to block their email in case they attempted to return his message after sending them their individual emails. He then went on with business as usual, telling his employees that the bandages around his arm and neck had been from a testing accident in his home. Since most of his employees knew he worked just as hard at home as he did at the corporation, very few questioned him. Still, it was a nerve-wracking experience, and not until the fourth day of investigation, when both the U.S. and Japan determined that it was an isolated incident and that no further evidence could be found, could he rest assured that he was safe.

The mental stress took its toll, however, and now, Friday evening, five days after returning home from the facility, Seto felt exhausted. Taking off his shoes, he tossed his jacket onto a nearby chair, not caring if he didn't properly put it away. He strolled into the dining room, figuring he would see Mokuba eating ice cream or something. The boy always stayed up late to play video games, but instead of finding his younger brother, he found a small note on the table. He frowned and picked it up to read:

_Hey Big Brother. Sorry I didn't call you, but don't worry about me. I went over to Kiito's house; he decided last minute to have a birthday slumber party. I'll call you tomorrow to let you know what time I am coming home. Relax and take it easy this weekend. I know you've been working too hard! – Mokuba_

He smirked and tossed the paper into the nearby trash can. So his brother wasn't home. He had the whole mansion to himself. "_A shame, too, as I'm going to be using this opportunity to sleep_," he thought as he reentered the main foyer. He grabbed onto the banister and began ascending the staircase when he suddenly heard something in the distance. It sounded like someone humming, or whistling perhaps, and it caused him to stop and blink in surprise. "_Is someone else here?_" he thought warily, not wanting to deal with such a thing when he was so tired. "_Did Roland let in a visitor? No, they would be waiting in the main foyer for my return. It can't be an intruder; no one can get past my security system. So who is it? Did Mokuba leave something on?_" His brain was already muddled, and the idea of talking with someone else seemed foreign to him. Sighing in defeat, he finished ascending the stairs and decided to follow the direction of the noise, which ironically seemed to lead towards his bedroom. In fact, the closer he got to his bedroom, the louder the noise became, until he was standing directly in front of the entrance to his room. He could hear music playing, Japanese Pop or something like that by the sounds of it, and he frowned in confusion. Opening the door, his eyes widened at the sight before him.

Anzu was standing next to the large window overlooking the backyard, her back turned to him. His radio was playing on his desk, blaring the music he had heard from the stairwell. Her head bobbed back and forth to the music, and every few words or so she would sing along with the tune. She was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a tight, gray shirt along with some bracelets, and he realized that the cuts and bruises that had tarnished her arms were gone.

"Anzu?" he asked aloud, not sure if what he was seeing was truly there or not.

She swiftly turned to look at him and smiled widely. "Seto!" she exclaimed, rushing up to him and wrapping her arms around him. Taken off-guard, he stumbled backwards and nearly fell to the floor. She seemed to sense his lack of energy, for she frowned up at him and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I just… I didn't expect to see you," he answered, watching as she released him and approached the radio. She turned it off, creating a sudden silence in the room, and he sighed before asking, "What are you doing here?"

"You asked me to call you within the next week, but I wanted to visit," she answered. "Roland let me in and said you would be home earlier than usual. He told me you were exhausted from all the news and work you had to do concerning the facility, but said that he didn't see it as a problem if I stayed and waited for you to return. I just wanted to see if you were okay."

Remembering his request, he smiled at her and walked towards his bed. He sat down on the edge and turned to look at her. "I'm sorry, but I am probably not in the best mood to be receiving visitors," he admitted.

"Why not?"

"I'm mentally and physically drained right now."

She chuckled and rushed to the side of the bed, taking a seat next to him. "You look it," she admitted, her voice lower in volume. "I saw the news… Has anything come up yet that points towards you?"

"No, not yet," he answered. "And they just finished the investigation, so I don't think I have to worry about it anymore. Although you will be happy to know I got emails from both Sanderson and Sterner."

"Really? Are they okay?"

"They made it out fine. Sterner stated that most of the scientists who escaped returned to the States, where they are trying their best to find new careers and escape the past."

"That's good for them, I suppose."

"Yeah…"

"What about you? How have you been?"

Sighing, he closed his eyes and leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees for support. "Just tired," he answered.

"Have you been sleeping well?"

"Yeah, better than before now that those visions are gone. It's just… Things have been rather stressful at the corporation. I think my nerves are finally shot. On top of that, my arm and neck are still aching from those attacks." Glancing over at her, he asked, "How have you been?"

"Pretty good. My wounds are healed, finally, and I guess I've returned to my daily routine. Jou and Yugi have kept their promise, though; Tristan, Serenity, and the others don't know about what happened."

Nodding, he pushed himself onto the bed and lied down so that he was lying sideways. His feet dangled off the edge of the bed, and he sighed in content at the feeling of the comforters and blankets. It was soft and relaxing, and he could feel the tension in his body ease into the sheets beneath. "Would you…rather me visit another time?" she asked timidly. He glanced up at her and smirked before shaking his head no.

"No, actually, I'd rather you stay," he answered, reaching forward to grab her hand. Pulling her closer to him, he watched as she sat criss-crossed next to him before placing his hand on her lap. He closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath before saying, "I've been meaning to talk to you, but with all the work and stress, I didn't find any time."

"I don't blame you, Seto. I can tell you're exhausted. Why don't I just come over another time?"

He frowned and shook his head no. He liked the feeling of his hand holding hers, but he knew he was slipping into the realm of sleep. "I want you to stay…" he whispered, hardly recognizing his own voice. Feeling the bed shift, he opened his eyes slightly to see Anzu positioning herself next to him so that she was lying beside him. She smiled at him and leaned in, lightly kissing his forehead.

"We can talk in the morning if you want…"

He smiled widely and wrapped his left arm, which was still bandaged from the attack, around her waist. "That sounds good…" he answered, closing his heavy eyelids once more.

"Goodnight, Seto," she whispered. He nodded and immediately fell asleep.

* * *

The first thing he noticed was the bright sunlight streaming through the open, blue curtains. Being one to usually beat the sun, he flinched in surprise and quickly sat up. Yawning, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and took in his surroundings. He was by himself in his bedroom, the sunlight hitting him at full force. The digital clock on his nightstand revealed that it was almost 9:30, a time Seto had never seen when first waking up. Groaning as his back cracked, he slowly crawled out of bed and walked into the closet, hoping to take a quick shower. He loosened the tie around his neck and sighed at his disheveled complexion, although he looked a bit better now that he had some rest. Just as he was about to pick an outfit out to wear, however, the door to his room opened, revealing Anzu holding a tray of food.

"Good morning, star shine!" she exclaimed, giggling at his shocked expression. He had almost forgotten that she had been over last night. He was so out of it that it hardly triggered in his mind.

"Good morning," he answered, slightly stunned by her entrance.

"I made us breakfast," she explained, holding out the tray. He could smell eggs and bacon and saw two cups of tea and some toast. "I figured you would want to eat in your bedroom since you were so tired last night."

His stomach churned slightly at the smell of food. While the shower still sounded good, he couldn't deny the hunger he felt. Sighing in defeat, he tossed his outfit to the side and plopped back down onto the bed, watching as Anzu set up the tray so that each of them had one side. "Have you ever had breakfast in bed before?" she asked as she placed his plate in front of him.

"No, I hardly eat breakfast," he answered, grabbing an American fork and taking a bite out of the eggs.

"You should. It's very healthy for you. Gets your metabolism going and helps to wake you up."

"So does coffee, and I'm practically addicted to that crap."

"That's…not very good, Seto."

He chuckled and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, but, what can you do?"

She seemed to understand, for she let the matter drop, choosing instead to take a bite out of her bacon. Not really knowing what to say, he asked, "So…how did you sleep last night?"

She giggled and said, "Very good, actually. Your bed is so comfy. I wish my bed was this big at home. How about you? You were out in a matter of seconds, it seemed. I wanted to ask you something, but you were already asleep."

"What did you want to ask?" he questioned as he took a sip from the hot tea. The food felt refreshing to his system, which he had been negligent towards over the past several days.

"Oh, it was just something silly. Nothing too big. Besides, you mentioned you wanted to talk, and I figured we would have plenty to go over today, so I just let you sleep."

He sighed and took another bite out of his meal. He had to talk to her about his emotions. Bottling them up was just about killing him. But he had never been good with emotions, and expressing them was his worst trait. He mentally stumbled when considering the possibility of a relationship; how was he supposed to adequately explain himself to her? It was a necessary action, with all that had happened between them, but it was also something that unnerved him. And he did not deal well with things that unnerved him.

"Did you want to talk later today?" she asked slowly, seeming to sense his sudden tension, "or did you want to—"

"I'd rather do it now and get it over with," he admitted, finishing the last of his eggs and turning his attention to his tea and bacon. Wiping his hands on a napkin, he attempted to sit up straight, but the tension in his neck was killing him. He leaned against the steel, artsy banister at the end of his bed and sipped his tea, staring directly at her. "I just… I wanted to talk to you about…what happened during our trip to ReGEN05."

"You mean about our…kiss?" she asked, sipping her tea as well.

"More than that. Just… I mean, I don't know how you felt during our trip, but I…" Swallowing the lump in his throat, he mentally shouted at himself to get it together. It was now or never, and he had to do this. Even if it ended in disaster, he _had _to do it. "I admit that I developed some feelings for you. That kiss wasn't just because I was thankful to be alive. What I mean to say is… I-I wasn't trying to—"

"You weren't just kissing me to use me," she interrupted, her voice soft and comforting. "You actually meant it. And I did too. I… I really care about you, and while I respected you before the trip, I'll admit that I developed something deeper during our journey as well. It's strange, I know, how something like love could find us in such a Hellish place, but I suppose anything really is possible."

Love. That one word that Seto never understood in his life. Sure, he knew of brotherly love, of caring for Mokuba. He lived and nearly died for that boy, but it wasn't the same as the love he wanted with Anzu. This was something altogether different, something he had questioned ever feeling for another human being. He wanted to be with her, spend time with her, come home to her… He cared about her. But was that what love was? He didn't know from experience, that was for sure.

"I know you aren't the best with emotions, and I'm honestly surprised you were the one to strike up this conversation," Anzu admitted, smiling at him as she finished her plate of food. "You like logic and facts, things that are guaranteed by statistics, and I'll be the first one to admit that emotions are the total opposite. There is such a risk with emotions, of being rejected, of things not turning out the way you anticipated it would. But I would like to take that risk…if you want to, that is."

His heart was beating faster. "I-I care about you a lot," he stated. "I want to be with you. I know I'm terrible with emotions too, but I… I worried about you during this week. I missed seeing you. But the events that this occurred under are unorthodox at best. If you don't mind, I'd rather take this…_relationship_ slowly."

She smiled and nodded in agreement. Grabbing her cup of tea, she crawled around the tray and sat down next to him. Leaning against his good arm, she said, "I don't mind taking it slowly, Seto, as long as we can be happy together."

He smiled and wrapped his arm around her. Leaning down, he gently kissed the top of her head and finished the rest of his tea before setting the cup down onto the tray. He then brought her slightly closer and said, "Well, I'll be hearing it from Mokuba all this weekend."

She chuckled and asked, "Why? Did he predetermine our relationship when he sent me with you to the facility?"

"I'm pretty sure he's already planning our wedding," he answered sarcastically.

"Maybe we can tell him he'll be the flower girl if he keeps it up."

Seto laughed at the notion and shook his head. "Now _that_ would be interesting…"

"Seto…"

Blinking, he glanced down to see her smiling up at him.

"I love you."

He smiled and leaned down, kissing her lightly on the lips. They were soft and tasted slightly of the tea she had made for them, but he didn't mind. All he knew was that he wanted those lips for himself. He wanted her to himself. Her kisses made him warm, made him feel human again. They made him happy. Breaking the kiss, he gently placed his head on top of hers and whispered, "I love you too."

* * *

_Author's Note: The end is here, the end is here, here is the end! 29 Chapters later, and it is completed. I hope you guys greatly enjoyed this story, and I appreciate all the comments and criticisms I've received. I had a lot of fun experimenting with this story, and it turned out far better than I ever anticipated it would. You guys made this experience worthwhile, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the support! _


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